While this method is effective, there are also some trade-offs. Firstly, probes in a fixture do not degrade at the same rate. Changing all probes means that you may be ditching some probes that would have lasted much longer. Equally, there may also be a few probes that should have been replaced even before the maintenance cycle. Of course, you can simply wait until a probe breaks and then replace it.
Maintenance based on test cycles is only practical for high-volume manufacturing.
In low-volume work, a fixture may not have enough use to justify setting up a maintenance cycle. In this case, factors such as contamination have more impact on probe life than cycle count. And, fixture maintenance may accompany a daily battle in getting boards to pass, which in the long run can result in lower test quality. The method involves developing a unique test for each fixture that identifies individual probes that measure above a preset resistance threshold. Using the method, fixture maintenance becomes a controlled part of your process.