Target Condition: Are Autorouters Friend or Foe?
Fresh PCB Concepts: Assembly Challenges with Micro Components and Standard Solder Mask Practices
Elementary Mr. Watson: Retro Routers vs. Modern Boards—The Silent Struggle on Your Screen
Excerpt—The Printed Circuit Assembler’s Guide to... SMT Inspection: Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond, Chapter 2
April 14, 2021 | Brent Fischthal, Koh Young AmericaEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Chapter 2: Performance Anxiety
A limitation of many 3D optical inspection systems is the cycle time typically associated with processing millions of pixels to reconstruct a full 3D image using data captured from multiple channels. There should not be a compromise between 3D inspection and throughput. A successful inspection deployment should provide oversight for the process, not compromise, interrupt or slow that process.
The performance or speed of inspection equipment falls into two camps. One is the time taken to switch from one inspection program to another. The second is the speed of the individual inspection. The former should be as close to zero as possible and, at worst, not longer than the changeover time of the line. The latter should be at the cadence of a line itself or better. The inspection system should never be the bottleneck on the line or the process that dictates the speed at which boards are assembled.
Processes Optimized With Reliable Data
Some systems capture dozens of unique measurement data sets for each field of view. This produces a lot of data, and equipment makers need to manage the big data processing with parallel computing to satisfy even the most demanding applications.
Equipment suppliers can improve 3D AOI speed thanks to hardware and optical technology that generates reliable and repeatable data. These inspection results are then stored in a central database, which can be used in deploying the optimal inspection program for multiple operations and reduce programming and setting condition times.
Process optimization is desired by manufacturers and equipment suppliers, including manufacturers of inspection equipment. However, this optimization has been difficult to achieve with 2D systems, as most do not offer height information, and cannot accurately measure and quantify shape, coplanarity and solder amount. True 3D AOI systems measure every aspect of the component and solder joint in accordance with the IPC-A-610 standard, and then a significant set of reliable measurement data.
To download this free eBook, published by I-Connect007, click here.
To view the entire I-Connect007 eBook library, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Driving Innovation: Direct Imaging vs. Conventional Exposure
07/01/2025 | Simon Khesin -- Column: Driving InnovationMy first camera used Kodak film. I even experimented with developing photos in the bathroom, though I usually dropped the film off at a Kodak center and received the prints two weeks later, only to discover that some images were out of focus or poorly framed. Today, every smartphone contains a high-quality camera capable of producing stunning images instantly.
Hands-On Demos Now Available for Apollo Seiko’s EF and AF Selective Soldering Lines
06/30/2025 | Apollo SeikoApollo Seiko, a leading innovator in soldering technology, is excited to spotlight its expanded lineup of EF and AF Series Selective Soldering Systems, now available for live demonstrations in its newly dedicated demo room.
Indium Corporation Expert to Present on Automotive and Industrial Solder Bonding Solutions at Global Electronics Association Workshop
06/26/2025 | IndiumIndium Corporation Principal Engineer, Advanced Materials, Andy Mackie, Ph.D., MSc, will deliver a technical presentation on innovative solder bonding solutions for automotive and industrial applications at the Global Electronics A
Fresh PCB Concepts: Assembly Challenges with Micro Components and Standard Solder Mask Practices
06/26/2025 | Team NCAB -- Column: Fresh PCB ConceptsMicro components have redefined what is possible in PCB design. With package sizes like 01005 and 0201 becoming more common in high-density layouts, designers are now expected to pack more performance into smaller spaces than ever before. While these advancements support miniaturization and functionality, they introduce new assembly challenges, particularly with traditional solder mask and legend application processes.
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Tin Whisker Mitigation in Aerospace Applications, Part 3
06/25/2025 | Nash Bell -- Column: Knocking Down the Bone PileTin whiskers are slender, hair-like metallic growths that can develop on the surface of tin-plated electronic components. Typically measuring a few micrometers in diameter and growing several millimeters in length, they form through an electrochemical process influenced by environmental factors such as temperature variations, mechanical or compressive stress, and the aging of solder alloys.