Customer Case

Industry evolution: The manufacturing challenge of next-gen architecture

A leading Chinese NEV manufacturer, long recognized as an industry pioneer, recently faced a critical bottleneck in scaling mass production of its latest smart cockpit platform. The company struggled to balance high product complexity with aggressive delivery schedules, finding that traditional testing methods fell short of their needs for high efficiency, consistency, and reliability。

Bridging the gap: Identifying industry pain points

Following extensive on-site research, the Provectron team identified three systemic challenges currently affecting DCU mass production:

• Fragmented processes: Testing traditionally involves a number of disparate stages including burn-in, RF, and functional checks, leading to uneven production beats and efficiency bottlenecks.
• Manual dependency: A high dependence on manual labor introduces human error, resulting in fluctuations in First Pass Yield (FPY) and heightened quality risks.
• Extreme reliability demands: As a mission-critical component, even a microscopic testing oversight can lead to large-scale quality incidents and brand damage.

Provectron solution: A full-link automated test line

To solve these issues, Provectron has developed and deployed a tailor-made cockpit DCU automated test line. This system delivers end-to-end automation, from initial functional verification to final visual inspection with a fully closed data loop.

Optimized test flow：

By utilizing strategic process splitting and parallel design, the line maintains total testing integrity while optimizing the production "beat". The workflow follows a rigorous sequence:

Aging → Cooling → RF (Radio Frequency) → Vibration → ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) → EOL (End of Line) → Labeling → HMI Touch Screen → AOI (Automated Optical Inspection).

Technical highlights：

• Unified architecture: By integrating a diverse mix of stations (RF, ATE, EOL, HMI, and AOI), the system minimizes manual handling and maximizes consistency.
• Cycle-time optimization: Parallel testing strategies have eliminated bottlenecks, resulting in a stable production rhythm of 60 seconds per unit.
• Lean operations: Automated scanning and program matching reduced the required workforce from 12 operators to just 3, significantly lowering human-related risk.
• Data-driven traceability: All results are automatically synced to the MES (Manufacturing Execution System), allowing for real-time FPY and SPC trend analysis for continuous improvement.

Looking Ahead

The production line is currently operational at the client's facility, providing the robust support necessary for the scale-up of their Smart Cockpit DCUs. In an era where vehicle intelligence is the ultimate competitive frontier, automated testing has become essential infrastructure for quality assurance.