A proven test solution for PCB manufacturers

For those in the world of electronics manufacturing, quality, speed, and data accuracy are everything. For contract manufacturers (CMs) and PCB manufacturers, ensuring that every board leaving the production line meets performance specifications is crucial, not just for customer satisfaction, but for maintaining profitability and trust. That’s where Devtank’s HILTOP platform comes in as a test solution to help you track quality through automated testing. This not only provides consistency but also a much needed productivity boost in time savings.

What Is HILTOP?

HILTOP (Hardware-in-the-Loop Test and Operations Platform) is Devtank’s modular and scalable test and monitoring solution, designed to make production testing faster, smarter, and more reliable. It brings together flexible hardware, intuitive software, and robust data analytics in one unified platform.

HILTOP is used by manufacturers across industries to automate functional testing, gather accurate performance data, and feed actionable insights directly into their production and quality control systems.

The challenge: quality and yield in PCB Manufacturing

PCB and contract manufacturers face constant pressure to deliver flawless products at ever-tighter margins. Common challenges include:

Inconsistent test coverage: traditional test setups can vary across product lines, leading to gaps in test data.
Limited data visibility: without centralised data collection, it’s hard to identify failure trends or production bottlenecks.
Manual test processes: human intervention increases the risk of error and slows down production throughput.
Difficulty scaling: custom test rigs can be expensive and hard to adapt for new products or customer requirements.

How HILTOP solves these challenges

HILTOP is engineered to streamline and standardise test processes from prototype to full-scale production. It’s not an off the shelf product that we just throw at you; it’s developed to solve your challenges that you are facing daily. We adapt HILTOP to meet your requirements, for your production line, for your quality requirements and to be working perfectly for your team to use the data to make the required improvements.

Here’s what you can expect from deploying HILTOP.

Accurate and repeatable test data

HILTOP’s modular hardware ensures consistent testing environments across all production stages. Combined with high-precision instrumentation and reliable connectivity, it guarantees accurate, traceable test results for every unit tested.

Integrated data collection and analytics

All test results are stored and visualised through HILTOP’s secure data management system. Manufacturers can easily track yields, identify failure patterns, and trace root causes of issues across batches or production lines—helping teams make data-driven improvements.

Automated testing for higher throughput

With automated test sequencing and digital control of test parameters, HILTOP reduces operator time and variability. This leads to higher throughput, fewer reworks, and greater consistency which is critical for maintaining competitive production yields.

Scalable and customisable

HILTOP is modular by design. Whether you’re testing small PCB assemblies or large industrial systems, you can adapt your test rigs with interchangeable fixtures and tailored I/O configurations. This flexibility makes it ideal for contract manufacturers handling diverse customer projects.

Traceability and compliance

For industries where traceability is key, such as automotive, aerospace, and medical to name a few, HILTOP provides detailed test records and audit trails. These logs ensure full compliance with regulatory requirements and customer quality standards.

Real-world impact

By adopting HILTOP test solutions, manufacturers typically see:

Up to 50% improvement in production yields due to better process visibility and test accuracy.
Significant reduction in test development time through reusable hardware and software modules.
Enhanced communication between engineering and production via centralised, real-time test data.
A significant saving on labour costs by automating processes.

Future ready manufacturing

As electronics become more complex and production lines more connected, manufacturers need test systems that can evolve with them. HILTOP is not just a test platform, it’s a foundation for data-driven, Industry 4.0-ready manufacturing.

At Devtank, we’re proud to partner with contract and PCB manufacturers who are pushing the boundaries of quality, performance, and efficiency. HILTOP test solutions helps them get there, one reliable test at a time.