-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueMoving Forward With Confidence
In this issue, we focus on sales and quoting, workforce training, new IPC leadership in the U.S. and Canada, the effects of tariffs, CFX standards, and much more—all designed to provide perspective as you move through the cloud bank of today's shifting economic market.
Intelligent Test and Inspection
Are you ready to explore the cutting-edge advancements shaping the electronics manufacturing industry? The May 2025 issue of SMT007 Magazine is packed with insights, innovations, and expert perspectives that you won’t want to miss.
Do You Have X-ray Vision?
Has X-ray’s time finally come in electronics manufacturing? Join us in this issue of SMT007 Magazine, where we answer this question and others to bring more efficiency to your bottom line.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Excerpt—The Printed Circuit Assembler’s Guide to... SMT Inspection: Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond, Chapter 3
April 22, 2021 | Brent Fischthal, Koh Young AmericaEstimated reading time: 2 minutes

Chapter 3: The Data Dilemma
Data-driven analytics, using inspection data, can be used to overcome production challenges and to enable the smarter factory of today and of the future. Industry 4.0 and its associated benefits will doubtlessly advance the industry, so equipment suppliers need to continue to work diligently to accelerate M2M communication standards to aid the use of machine data to accelerate this trend.
To this end, the role of inspection becomes two-fold. The first is to ascertain if boards are good or bad at the point of inspection. The second is to provide data for the greater good of the process, the line and—ultimately—the factory.
Connectivity is the Foundation of the Smart Factory
Initiatives like the IPC Connected Factory Exchange (CFX) and IPC-Hermes-9852 underpin efforts within the industry to develop standards and help create a smart factory. These M2M communication standards, guided in part by Industry 4.0, are altering the manufacturing process by improving metrics such as first pass yield and throughput by applying autonomous process adjustments.
Far beyond an automatic line changeover, this two-way communication allows equipment to automatically adjust production parameters to increase board quality and lower costs by eliminating manual labor, rework, and scrap. As part of this mission, advanced process control with interconnected PCBA equipment will revolutionize process optimization and lay the foundation for the smart factory.
Measurement-based Inspection
Every electronics manufacturer—and most equipment suppliers, including automated inspection providers—is looking to optimize the assembly process. However, this is difficult, or even impossible, with the limitations of 2D imaging, the former industry standard. Not only is it difficult for 2D AOI systems to identify defects on curved and reflective solder joints, but 2D AOI systems simply do not generate data that is reliable enough to actually deliver consistent results.
Every aspect of the 2D inspection process relies on contrast—not quantitative measurement. As such, 2D users must either suggest the repair or scrapping of defective boards, which increases costs and eliminates the potential for process improvements.
Finding the Component Body
The introduction of 3D imaging to the inspection market solved many of these problems. By measuring components and solder joints, and then offering critical height information to the inspection algorithms, users could identify errors such as pad overhang and insufficient solder.
The 3D data is only valid when 3D technology is used for all component types to extract the exact body dimensions. Systems that use “blob detection,” which may be susceptible to external factors such as board warpage and component proximity, are less reliable. The combination of measurement and process data piles collected from its SPI and AOI systems, as well as from printers and mounters, allows delivery of advanced AI features with reliable “big data.”
To overcome this, true 3D technology must extract the component body data.
To download this free eBook, published by I-Connect007, click here.
To view the entire I-Connect007 eBook library, click here.
Suggested Items
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.
SolderKing’s Successful Approach to Modern Soldering Needs
06/18/2025 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Chris Ward, co-founder of the family-owned SolderKing, discusses his company's rapid growth and recent recognition with the King’s Award for Enterprise. Chris shares how SolderKing has achieved these award-winning levels of service in such a short timeframe. Their secret? Being flexible in a changing market, technical prowess, and strong customer support.