Rework station & returns analysis for production

Test systems for fault diagnosis, rework and quality assurance

Recognize errors. Ensure quality. Avoid rejects.

What to do if a product does not meet expectations? Be it at the end of production or after months of use. Rework stations and returns analyses provide the right answer: they enable the targeted revision/analysis, evaluation and documentation of faulty or conspicuous products.

While rework stations are primarily used in ongoing production to avoid rejects, returns analysis is used later – for systematic root cause analysis of audit parts or field returns. The difference lies in the timing and scope of the inspection, but the benefits are the same: lower costs, improve quality, reduce rejects.

Rework stations and returns analyses are particularly relevant in these sectors:

Automotive & mobility industry
Electronics manufacturing & EMS service provider
Industrial electronics & machine control
Aerospace, military & infrastructure electronics
Energy technology & Renewable energy
Medical technology & laboratory equipment

autfactory software – flexible control of your testing processes

autfactory is our modular test bench software for intuitive control and documentation of test and rework processes. At its core, it enables simple adaptation of step chains by the operator, without any programming knowledge: Change sequence, add or remove steps, all directly via the user interface.

Thanks to the sophisticated structure of the software, you can adapt test sequences yourself without having to call on external support for every change. This saves time and allows you to react quickly to changes.

This is how autfactory supports your reworking and analysis processes:

Flexible sequence control: Create and modify test and analysis sequences yourself with the autfactory Sequencer. Clear, modular and precisely adapted to your requirements.
Digital worker guidance: Each work step is clearly displayed and documented. This ensures process reliability, traceability and consistent quality
Flexibility & intuitive operation: Operators adapt the step chains themselves for individual requirements or new product variants. Fast, efficient and directly on site.

Mehr zur Prüfstandssoftware autfactory erfahren

Rework station: Correct errors before rejects are produced

Rework stations are an integral part of efficient production and enable conspicuous products to be evaluated and corrected directly in the production process. Instead of rejecting faulty parts immediately, they can be reworked on site and fed back into the process.

A typical rework station consists of an ergonomic workstation for carrying out repairs on a product that has already been produced, as well as an industrial PC with autfactory for documentation and traceability. The digital worker guidance system ensures clear, traceable processes and allows for subsequent analysis. Findings from the rework station are in turn incorporated into production.

The modular design of the reworking station allows rapid integration into existing processes and helps to avoid rejects, ensure quality and reduce costs.

Typical applications for reworking tables include

Soldering error
Incomplete plug connections
Mechanical damage
Missing components
Insulation fault

Rework station example from an inverter EOL application

Returns analysis: understanding why a product fails

In contrast to the rework station, which is used during ongoing production, the returns analysis is only used after delivery. It is used for the structured examination of faulty products from the field or from audit processes in order to clearly identify the cause of defects.

A typical example: a closed return analysis station for power electronic assemblies in high-volume production. The test specimen is positioned on a special table, detected without contact and tested automatically (ideally with the original end-of-line test), including a safe high-voltage test sequence. The operator has the option of changing test sequences or increasing their test depth via an intuitive interface. This creates a clear, traceable fault history, which is the basis for targeted optimization.