Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘The Next RenAIssance: AI and the Expansion of Human Potential’
The Chemical Connection: When the Industry Moves Faster Than the Standards
Driving Innovation: Selecting the Right Laser Source
Optima Discusses Advantages of In-line AOI
January 15, 2016 | Stephen Las Marias, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
At the recent HKPCA & IPC APEX South China Fair, I spoke with Gillad Galor, founder and general manager of AOI maker Optima LTD, about the his company's technology, and what's driving product innovation in the AOI space. He also talked about the benefits of in-line AOI systems.
Stephen Las Marias: Gillad, let's start by your telling us about Optima and your responsibilities at the company.
Gillad Galor: I'm the general manager of Optima, and I'm also the founder. We are focusing at the moment only on one product—advanced AOI for PCBs. AOI is our field, and right now we do automatic AOI. When we say automatic AOI, we mean in-line AOI.
Las Marias: What's the advantage and benefit of it?
Galor: In-line AOI is actually an AOI machine attached to the DES line, the develop-etch-strip line. That brings a variety of advantages and, the way we see it, zero disadvantages. First of all, the capacity is very high because the DES line is very fast—about four times higher than traditional common AOIs. Second, it scans both sides simultaneously. The third and most important one, I believe, is it saves manpower. You don't need many people standing next to many machines, loading panels, flipping them and unloading them and waiting for the machine to scan.
Another advantage is you scan the panels once they are fresh, so you don't need to handle all the technologies for reducing false alarms from oxidation and from dust. Other advantages are it saves space and it saves maintenance contracts. It also saves on power.
Las Marias: A few months ago, we did a survey from our readers regarding cycle time reduction. One of the bottlenecks they mentioned in their process is inspection. What can you comment on that, from the perspective of an AOI supplier?
Galor: It's very easy to go to an AOI room and see piles of PCBs waiting for inspection. It's very common. That speaks for itself, so I definitely agree with that. AOI is another station that takes a lot of time. At least we save one station—we save the scanning station. At the moment, we still need a repair station. Once there is a quality issue, we still need to take the board offline and repair it.
Page 1 of 3
Share on:
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
TTC-LLC and TTCI: Smarter Training, Stronger Test at PCB East 2026
04/27/2026 | The Test Connection Inc.The Training Connection LLC (TTC-LLC) and The Test Connection, Inc. (TTCI) will be exhibiting together at PCB East 2026, taking place April 28–May 1 at the DCU Convention Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Attendees can find both teams at Booth #103 during the main exhibition day on Wednesday, April 29.
Building Industry-ready Talent Through Standards-based Education
04/27/2026 | Global Electronics AssociationRecently, Sichuan Modern Vocational College organized 132 students to complete IPC-A-610 Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) training and certification.
Roundtable: Data Protection Lays the Groundwork for Cybersecurity Strategies
04/27/2026 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007This multi-expert roundtable explores cybersecurity measures specific to electronics manufacturing. NEC’s Watanabe Hiroyaki, Divyash Patel, CEO of MX2 Technologies, and Ali Pabrai, CEO at EC First, join moderator Nolan Johnson for a deeper discussion on cybersecurity certifications.
Fresh PCB Concepts: Designing PCBs for Harsh Environments—Reliability Is Engineered Upstream
04/23/2026 | Team NCAB -- Column: Fresh PCB ConceptsWhen engineers hear the phrase “harsh environment,” they usually think of the extreme temperature swings, vibration and shock, pressure changes, or radiation in aerospace. However, aerospace is not the only harsh environment where electronic assemblies must survive. Automotive power electronics, downhole oil and gas tools, marine controls, rail systems, defense platforms, and industrial automation equipment all expose PCBs to environments that are equally unforgiving. The stress mechanisms may differ, but the physics does not.
The Right Approach: The End of an Era—DoD Proposes MIL-PRF-31032 Cancellation
04/21/2026 | Steve Williams -- Column: The Right ApproachThe Defense Logistics Agency has initiated formal proceedings to cancel the military's primary performance specification for printed circuit boards, a move that could reshape how the U.S. defense industrial base qualifies and sources one of its most critical electronic components. On March 4, 2026, DLA Weapons Support issued a memorandum to military and industry coordination activities announcing that MIL-PRF-31032, along with its six associated specification sheets, has been proposed for cancellation. A 30-day comment period was allotted, with concurrence or comments due by April 3, 2026.