Siemens Acquires ASTER Technologies for PCB Test Engineering Solutions

Siemens announced it has acquired ASTER Technologies (“ASTER”), a privately held market leader in printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) test verification and engineering software. This strategic move integrates ASTER’s advanced “shift-left” design for test (DFT) functionality directly into Siemens’ Xpedition software and Valor software—part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software—establishing a comprehensive portfolio for electronic systems design. The acquisition empowers customers with an integrated digital thread from PCB design engineering to manufacturing, enabling earlier defect detection, reduced costs, accelerated time-to-market, and improved product quality and reliability.

The acquisition comes at a critical time, as accelerating demand for automotive electronics and increased integration of 5G technology in electronic systems necessitate robust testing solutions to help ensure safety, reliability, and compliance with stringent standards. A comprehensive test engineering strategy is paramount to intercepting defects, avoiding costly design re-spins, preventing product returns, and reducing field failures. Organizations are increasingly seeking DFT functionality embedded within their PCB design solutions and an integrated workflow for PCB design.

Founded in 1993 and based in Cesson-Sévigné, France, ASTER has established itself as a leading supplier of software tools for verifying, assembling, and testing PCB assemblies for over 30 years. The company provides DFM physical design verification software solutions for PCB fabrication, assembly, and test, alongside test coverage analysis and test programming capabilities. Its flagship product, TestWay, is known for DFT planning and implementation, enabling companies to prepare designs and implement test strategies early in the PCB assembly manufacturing process. TestWay complements Siemens’ Valor design for fabrication and assembly capabilities, creating a comprehensive DFM solution.

ASTER’s solutions are primarily used in sophisticated, high-end designs across computing/HPC, automotive, and networking sectors, where developing efficient and cost-productive test strategies is crucial. This acquisition allows Siemens to expand its DFM solution for the global PCB market.

With this acquisition, Siemens continues to provide customers with electronic system design technology for product design and manufacturing. The integration of ASTER’s technology will embed manufacturing capabilities within the PCBA design portfolio, expanding the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio. This move allows Siemens to offer a broader spectrum of DFM capabilities, helping customers ensure designs meet manufacturing requirements while optimizing test strategies from early development stages.