Automated optical inspection of equipped and unequipped PCBs is an application field with enormous potential, and it is expected to triple in size by 2022* according to market research firm MarketsandMarkets™. Chromasens GmbH is positioned to meet this demand with its 3DPIXA 3D color stereoscopic camera.
The reliability of integrated circuits depends on the quality of the components, connections and contacts used. This applies especially when wire bonds are used, such as in the connections of an integrated circuit or where a discrete semiconductor is joined to the electrical connections of a chip housing with extremely fine wires. Inspecting bonds traditionally has conducted by electrical or technical means, however these methods missed small defects and entailed the risk of electrostatic and physical damage to the board. Automated optical inspection systems deploying the Chromasens 3DPIXA is a far more accurate quality control measure.
By combining 2D and 3D visualizations in a single camera, the 3DPIXA is suitable for PCBs with elevations of different heights. It features an optical resolution of 5μm for 2D color visualization and of 1μm for 3D image capture. High resolution is a basic requirement for the inspection of wire bonds with a thickness less than 1mil (1/1000 inch = 0,0254 Millimeter). The high-speed 3D algorithms developed by Chromasens for the 3DPIXA clearly identify the wire connections in the generated stereo images, eliminating parallax errors and forming the basis to calculate precise connection heights. Defective soldering, foreign particles or possibly faulty positioning of components can also be automatically detected. Laser markings can be identified by using integrated dark field lighting.
Chromasens' flexible 3D-API gives engineers simplified control of all camera functions as well as faster integration of the AOI function into existing vision applications. For instance, the API can easily be linked with image processing libraries from Halcon, LabView or Matrox.
