Implementation of a Robotic Arm-Assisted PCB Diagnostic and Measurement System

Abstract

This paper presents the development and implementation of an automated Printed Circuit Board (PCB) diagnostic system that integrates a Dobot Magician robotic arm with an Arduino-based measurement platform for autonomous electrical testing. The proposed system automates voltage and resistance measurements at predefined PCB test points, reducing manual intervention, improving measurement consistency and enhancing diagnostic efficiency. Unlike conventional visual inspection approaches, the system performs direct electrical verification of PCB functionality through robotic probing and real-time parameter measurement. The robotic arm was programmed using a teaching-and-playback approach to achieve accurate and repeatable probe positioning, while the Arduino-based measurement module acquired and displayed measurement results through a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) interface. Experimental evaluation was conducted by comparing the measured values against a calibrated digital multimeter. Results showed resistance measurement errors ranging from 2 % to 6 %, while voltage measurement errors remained below 3 % for the 5 V rail and below 12 % for the 3.3 V rail. The system was also able to identify common PCB faults, including open circuits, short circuits and incorrect resistor values. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of integrating low-cost robotic automation with embedded measurement systems for automated PCB diagnostics. The proposed platform offers a practical and cost-effective solution for educational laboratories, research environments and low-volume industrial applications. Future enhancements may include higher-resolution data acquisition modules, automated calibration techniques, machine vision-assisted probe positioning and intelligent fault detection algorithms to further improve system accuracy and diagnostic capability.