X-ray inspection equipment is becoming increasingly popular. An AOI system is capable of inspecting solder joints and components visible to camera inspection, but some parts are bottom terminated (BTC), including LGAs, QFNs, and BGAs. In order to guarantee that the pieces are fitted appropriately and soldered correctly, X-ray equipment should be utilized.
X-ray machinery spans from low power, simple devices for looking through thin circuit boards with only a number of BTCs to in-line, high power X-ray machines for high speed, high volume applications with several BTCs. The assortment of proper gear should be based on the application requirements, as well as the power and scale of the technology.
The majority of generally available x-ray equipment measures voids in solder joints as well as measure void percentages in ground channels for LGAs and QFNs. The voiding in the ground channel of these components is more crucial, since that is also the heat path for these gears, and a high proportion of voids could lead to premature collapse. Defect detection can also be assisted by angle viewing and 3D / CT options. With PCBs becoming more complex, the ability to identify process flaws in BTCs will be essential. A 3D / CT option permits users to see the Z axis to visualize the connection between the component solder and PCB pad. This can detect Head in Pillow (HIP) flaws which are among the most tricky process issues to uncover.
Because solder balls and connection points are so microscopic, x-ray equipment often provides great magnification to spot solder joint issues. In some circumstances, over 2000X magnification is necessitated to identify solder joint issues. When searching for solder joint issues, full rotational viewing is also essential. Misalignments, solder bridging, shorts, along with other major defects should be rapidly uncovered with x-ray solutions. All kinds of equipment offers software packages for uncovering quality problems with QFNs, through-hole components, BGAs, and other frequently inspected components. Restronics sales staff can assist you in choosing the optimal x-ray equipment size based on your requirements and usage.
Industry 4.0 Smart Factory
SMT Reflow
Wave and selective soldering
Workbench Assembly equipment
Thermal chambers
Laser Marking / Laser routing