The test floor is changing fast: components shrink, panels grow, and product lifecycles sprint. From the buzz of Productronica 2025, I sit down with Seica's Luca Corli to unpack what that means for real factories and real constraints. The conversation zeroes in on modern in-circuit testing, automation, and why secure, integrated workflows now matter as much as raw pin counts.

We explore the new Valid SL, an inline ICT platform built for large, thick boards and multi-up panels that are increasingly common across semiconductors and high-reliability assemblies. With a redesigned mechanical press for stable contact, support for 4,000+ pins, and attention to cybersecurity in connected environments, Valid SL targets throughput without sacrificing trust. We also dig into Valid LR, a practical path for reusing legacy bed-of-nails fixtures from multiple vendors—key for teams that want better diagnostics and software while protecting tooling investments.

The debate every engineering leader faces comes into focus: when does flying probe beat bed-of-nails, and when is it the other way around? Luca outlines where flying probe shines—rapid product changes, short runs, and tight time-to-market—and where high-pin-count, heavy, or large-format boards still make ICT the clear winner. The real gains appear when these methods are integrated with boundary scan, in-system programming, and functional testing to deliver deeper coverage and shorter cycles in one coordinated flow.

We close with a candid look at market momentum. Automotive softness in parts of Europe contrasts with strong growth in India, where the shift from two and three wheels to cars drives electronics demand, and Southeast Asia continues to accelerate as manufacturing relocates. Through all of it, Seika’s customer-led approach anchors the roadmap: more flexibility where change is constant, more capacity where scale dominates, and more security wherever data and firmware touch the line.

Enjoy the conversation, then tell us how your team balances flexibility and throughput. If this helped you think differently about test strategy, follow, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review—your feedback helps others discover the show.

EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org)

You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.