Enhancing PCB Quality with Automated Optical Inspection
AOI stands for Automated Optical Inspection, used in the electronics industry to inspect printed circuit boards (PCBs) for defects. Automated Optical Inspection is the integration of optics, mechanics, electronic controls, and software to replace the human eye, ensuring the efficient and accurate inspection throughout the manufacturing process. An AOI system uses cameras to scan and capture the images of the board under controlled lighting conditions and magnification. These optical images are then processed by software to detect defects, with the system providing a pass or fail analysis based on the results.
Why Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) Important?
Automated Optical Inspection is useful at various stages of production, including bare board inspection, solder paste inspection, pre-reflow, and post-reflow. Each of these stages can introduce defects into the PCB design, and automated optical inspection is crucial in identifying these issues before the production process continues further with a flawed board.
In practice, the majority of automated optical inspection processes occur after production. The reason for this is because automated optical inspection systems can inspect for a variety of flaws simultaneously using a single system. By relying on optical imaging and high-precision cameras, the system can capture detailed, high-resolution optical images of the PCB to check for defects like misaligned components, soldering issues, and more. Using AOI as a final check speeds up manufacturing, increases productivity and fulfilling deadlines. If AOI detects faults during post-production, defective boards can be returned for rework while the remaining boards proceed.
When the PCB design is accurate and the components are properly placed, the product will work. During production, the focus shifts to detecting and correcting any fabrication or manufacturing defects. Automated optical inspection is an indispensable inspection system for evaluating the quality of PCB fabrication and resolving any issues at key stages of the process. Hence, automated optical inspection is crucial for the manufacturer to maintain high-quality production standards.
Adoption of an Automated Optical Inspection (AOI)
Automated optical inspection is widely adopted across various industries for several key reasons. First, it helps improve inspection consistency, as human performance can fluctuate over time, and inspectors may miss critical details. Second, automated optical inspection enhances speed, which is essential as manufacturing processes continue to accelerate, making it difficult for human inspectors to keep up. Third, automated systems increase inspection accuracy, as human eyes struggle to detect tiny defects or measure precise dimensions, whereas AOI systems excel in this area. Lastly, automated optical inspection lowers production costs by reducing the need for human inspectors, offering a cost-effective solution for maintaining high inspection standards.
By incorporating automated optical inspection systems, users can achieve continuous, real-time monitoring of production lines, swiftly identifying defects without the need for manual intervention. Unlike traditional human inspection methods, automated optical inspection eliminates fatigue and human errors, offering consistent results across production lines. This automated optical technology streamlines the inspection process, offering faster and more accurate results with minimal effort from operators.
Need for Advancement from 2D AOI to 3D AOI
There are two basic types of automated optical inspection systems: 2D AOI and 3D AOI. The primary distinction between them is how they capture and process photos of the PCB. The original automated AOI solutions were specifically designed to handle 2D measurements, such as inspecting board and component features, and verifying their coordinates and dimensions. These earlier automated AOI systems were highly effective for identifying surface defects and checking alignment, but their capabilities were restricted to flat, two-dimensional assessments. Recently, 3D AOI has gained tremendous popularity and become the industry standard in many applications. Unlike traditional 2D systems, 3D AOI integrates both automated optical inspection techniques and depth-sensing technology to measure the height dimensions of components.
Today, 3D AOI solutions are often preferred for detecting faulty components and soldering issues, especially as components have become increasingly smaller over time. As a result, traditional 2D automated inspection can struggle to detect more complex defects. Hence, when it comes to finding more complex or smaller defects in advanced electronics, 3D AOI is clearly the superior choice. 3D AOI machines can identify a broader range of defects, including issues with hidden ICs or other components that a traditional 2D system would miss. 3D AOI significantly enhances the inspection process by detecting defects in both visible and concealed areas, making it an essential tool for modern, high-precision manufacturing.
The emergence of 3D AOI has revolutionized quality control, setting new benchmarks for precision and effiency. With this, we introduced the ViTrox’s V510i Advanced 3D Optical Inspection. Our advanced 3D AOI leverages cutting-edge 3D imaging technology to meet unique inspection needs like Gold finger, Coordinate Measurement and Surface Defects Detection.
Next-Generation Quality Control: ViTrox’s V510i 3D AOI Solution
Our latest innovation in 3D AOI has extensive test coverage. 3D AOI stands out for its amazing full-segment lighting system. This innovative lighting arrangement offers comprehensive and highly accurate inspection coverage across all surface types. This powerful feature ensures that no flaw goes undetected, making the 3D AOI a useful tool for users looking for precise and trustworthy inspection results.
Another notable advancement is the addition of the Surface Defect Inspection (SDI) algorithm, which significantly enhances the capabilities of our 3D AOI solution. This advanced optical inspection algorithm increases the inspection coverage, including die placement, die coplanarity, die chip-off or cracking, die polarity, surface defects on die such as scratches and contamination, gold pad surfaces, foreign material, and distance measurement.
By offering this extensive automated coverage, our 3D AOI Solution ensures defect detection throughout the advanced packaging process. This automated inspection approach leaves no room for error and guarantees that product quality is maintained at the highest standards, meeting the exacting demands of the industry.
Additionally, our 3D AOI incorporates Smart Measurement & Smart Math technologies, enabling seamless defect detection and measurement in a single automated inspection system. 3D AOI provides highly accurate 2D and 3D measurements with flexible datum setup. In addition, the integration of A.I in our 3D AOI enhances programming and defect classification. Features like A.I. Smart Programming speeds up setup time — up to four times faster — while covering up to 90% of SMT components. Moreover, A.I. Assisted Defect Review (A.I. VVTS) further improves post-inspection accuracy, achieving 90% A.I. accuracy and less than 1% escapee rate. This automated optical inspection improves yield by up to 50% and significantly reduces operating costs.
Due to the increasing number of components as well as the miniaturisation of boards, our Projector Multiverse technology takes 3D AOI imaging reconstruction to the next level by offering settings, enhancing the flexibility of Digital Light Processing (DLP) projectors. This groundbreaking feature ensures unmatched capabilities for inspecting increasingly complex PCB designs with high optical precision.
Furthermore, our AI integrated 3D AOI Solution introduced a newly added side camera, which enhances optical automated inspection capabilities with cutting edge features. The SPECKLE Auto Mapping Technology (SAM) processes precise optical mapping of components’ lead for detailed side-angle analysis. Adaptive Lighting ensures optimal illumination by intelligently adjusting lighting in the required optical inspection direction. Additionally, the side camera leverages algorithm-driven optical inspection for superior accuracy and efficiency, providing a comprehensive and advanced approach to automated quality control.
To enhance the user experience of our customers, our 3D AOI Solutions are featured with the Intelligent Control Tower. With the Intelligent Control Tower, all collected data is efficiently managed through a centralised server and system. It monitors the performance of 3D AOI systems by tracking key metrics like First Pass Yield (FPY), Failures Per Product Million (FPPM), and Defects Per Million Opportunities (DPPM). This ensures data from optical and automated inspections is well-organised, accessible, and ready for analysis, improving overall efficiency and reliability.
Overall, the 3D AOI solution combines high-resolution imaging with an Industry 4.0 Manufacturing Solution to enable humanless operation by reducing operator workload and minimising skill dependency.
Industrial Features for PCB Customer’s Success
By choosing our advanced 3D AOI, customers highlighted its precision, user-friendliness, and integrated artificial intelligence. The implementation of 3D AOI has significantly improved operational efficiency, streamlined project development, and enhanced the quality of their SMT assembly process by addressing root causes of assembly issues. These advancements have strengthened their ability to deliver high-quality products and reinforce their commitment to excellence and innovation. Our award-winning AOI solution, with AI-driven programming, has streamlined the learning curve and reduced setup time while maintaining compliance with IPC Class standards and covering up to 95% of program packages, was another reason why the customer chose our 3D AOI.
Versatile 3D AOI Solutions
To cater to diverse needs, ViTrox offer comprehensive range of V510i Advanced 3D AOI solutions including V510i SE, V510i SE XXL, V510i Optimus 3D, V510i XL, V510i 4.0, V510i XXL, V510i DUO, V510i XLW, and V510i ST. For more microscopic inspection requirements, such as wire bond and die inspection, our V510i Optimus is an excellent choice for Advanced Packaging and Microelectronics. Additionally, we also have the new model, V510i R, a next generation model for conformal coating and final inspection.
Why Choose ViTrox Advanced 3D Automated Optical Inspection (3D AOI)?
- High Speed Inspection with Real 3D Measurement
- AI Powered technology for smart, easy & quality programming
- Smart Manufacturing Ready
- Preferred choice by world's top Contract Manufacturers
- Shareable wear & tear spare parts between 3D AOI and 3D SPI under one similar machine
- Competitive Cost of Ownership
