The PET-2 is the ideal place for the engineer to develop a test program for a new device. The test site tooling and contactors used by the PET-2 can be mounted directly to any other Exatron plunge-to-board handler. The handler-tester communication protocols are exactly the same as between the PET-2 and all other Exatron handlers. This assures that the production test is not only similar to engineering; it is exactly the same as the engineering benchtop. This process increases yields by increasing quality and eliminating engineering changes to bring the test bench into production.

The operator loads and unloads the PET-2 by hand or with an air wand. The device under test ("DUT") is placed in a precisely machined Face Plate. A vacuum holds the DUT accurately in place. The operator presses the Start Test button and the PET-2 rotates the DUT and inserts it into the test site. The DUT is mechanically aligned in the face plate by its body, not by its leads. The DUT is electrically aligned by placing the face plate onto a corresponding docking plate mounted on a printed circuit board. Face plates are device-specific and may be changed in seconds, as required.

The face plate to docking plate fit determines the placement of the DUT on the test fixture PCB of all contact types. At no point are the device's leads used as a guide during insertion. Nothing other than the test fixture PCB touches the DUT's leads when using a PET-2.

Once the DUT is positively positioned into the test site, a start test pulse is sent to the tester. When the Pass or Fail signal is received from the tester, the PET-2 returns the device to the operator for easy unloading, or it can drop the devices into one of two small reject bins mounted in the PET-2 itself. The PET-2 can accomodate a two-tube mount for convenient placement of output tubes.