Tracing COVID-19

High-end printed circuit boards made by AT&S enable the fastest and most sensitive COVID-19 antigen test on the marketHigh-end printed circuit boards made by AT&S enable the fastest and most sensitive COVID-19 antigen test on the market

The global fight against the coronavirus is currently taking place on many levels. Whether it is about life-saving ventilators, supercomputers used to research vaccines or tests to identify a COVID infection – technologically advanced printed circuit boards made by AT&S are behind many applications that support this fight. The most recent example: a portable testing device which provides rapid and reliable results within only twelve minutes using antigen and antibody test methods. Such systems are applied to verify a potential infection in high-risk patients and persons with COVID-19 symptoms.

The device provides results of antigen tests with an accuracy of more than 97 percent, which is very close to the much more expensive and elaborate PCR tests. “The challenge in the development of such diagnostic devices is that they have to be portable and should not be much bigger than a smartphone,” Volker Hofmann, Director Sales Segment Medical at AT&S, explains. “That is why miniaturization is required for printed circuit boards in order to fit a large number of functionalities onto very little space – and we have done a very good job achieving this at AT&S.” Since October 2020, AT&S has been commissioned as a selected series supplier and now supplies highly sensitive printed circuit boards for this important application to overcome the corona crisis.

AT&S CEO Andreas Gerstenmayer considers the successful implementation of the current project further evidence for the capability of AT&S: “Our colleagues have once again proven that, based on our technology portfolio, they are able to develop customized, application-specific high-tech printed circuit board solutions within a very short period of time and to get these solutions ready for series production. In doing so, we not only help our customers but also make an important contribution to overcoming the global corona crisis,” says Gerstenmayer. AT&S has contributed to fighting the coronavirus since spring. Back then, AT&S switched its production over to manufacturing printed circuit boards for life-saving ventilators at its location in Nanjangud, India, within a very short time.

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