With an aggressive string of acquisitions and new product introductions, test systems company Microtest Group is rapidly expanding its market presence globally. The Italian company specializes in automatic test equipment for semiconductor manufacturers including for producers of new wide band gap devices and magnetic sensing ICs.
Its new VIP Ultra tester, shown at top, targets the testing needs of high-power devices in automotive and energy storage sectors, for 5G and data centers, and can perform DC and energy stress tests up to 4KV with exacting parallelism. It is designed for testing Wide Band Gap (WBG) devices made using compound semiconductors such as Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN), which have proven to perform much better in power electronics requiring effective handling of high currents and voltages.
Also in the company’s portfolio is the Hatina 4S, a compact, versatile ATE platform specifically designed for final test of MEMS devices in high-volume production. Its modular architecture supports stimulus systems for humidity, pressure, and temperature sensors, microphones, magnetometers, and twist-tilt units for accelerometers and gyroscopes. Features include a patented coil-less magnetic field generator (up to 400 Gauss) with 3D rotation and accelerometer/gyroscope modules enabling parallel test on 32 sites, 192 PPMUs, and 320 digital channels, making it suitable for a wide range of MEMS applications as well as magnetic sensors.
“With VIP ULTRA, we are driving innovation in high-power device testing with a more efficient and market-advantageous test platform,” says Emiliano Consani, head of the company’s ATE business unit. “An increasing number of applications, from the automotive sector to data centers, require electronic devices capable of efficiently handling high power levels. This demand also drives test platforms to evolve, supporting higher voltages while maximizing production capacity. Numerous private and governmental entities are investing in new factories, facilities, and research centers to develop new materials and technologies that address emerging industrial applications. While silicon was the dominant semiconductor a decade ago, it is now widely recognized that its combination with carbon enhances its suitability for modern market demands.”
String of acquisitions grow the global footprint and market clout
After recent acquisitions in the UK and those in 2023 in the Netherlands, Germany and Italy, the Microtest Group has arrived in the United States, acquiring Focused Test, one of the few companies worldwide specialized in test systems for SiC and GaN microchips. Completing its fifth acquisition in 18 months, the group now has consolidated revenue surpassing €80 million and employs over 400 people.
The acquisitions include ipTEST in the UK, Dutch Test Inspire, the German RoodMicrotec and the Italian GEDEC as part of a growth and international development strategy initiated in 2022 with the support of Xenon Private Equity. The goal is to make Microtest the only company in Europe capable of managing the entire microelectronic development process, starting with chip design, with a particular focus on ATE production and related services. From its headquarters in Altopascio, Microtest now operates in 13 locations across Europe, the U.S. and Asia. See www.microtest.net.
