CAD-based programming for high-resolution µAXI with maximised defect coverage - phoenix|x-ray presents its new x|act technology at the Productronica
22.10.2009
For fully automatic x-ray inspection (AXI) of PCB assemblies with maximum defect coverage, precise image details with micrometer resolution, 360° rotation, oblique views at up to 70°, maximum positioning accuracy of just a few micrometers and reliable repeatability are absolutely essential. However, with conventional, in-line AXIs, inspection depth is typically determined by the throughput of the SMT production line. Therefore, particularly when you have a large variety of small batches, an offline, high-resolution µAXI system that meets the above quality criteria can often be the better choice. The phoenix|x-ray product line of GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies is presenting its x|act technology for simple and intuitive CAD-based µAXI with very high image magnification and thus a comparatively low escape rate and pseudo defect rate.
x|act: quick and easy CAD-based programming
To keep programming time to a minimum, x|act imports the CAD data from the PCB and creates a model from this, which facilitates navigation and also enables inspection strategies to be assigned to the individual components to be inspected. Inspection strategies with all the information required for inspection are already contained in the library for many common solder joints. After the inspection strategies have been assigned, the views required and inspection program are generated automatically.
With CAD-based programming, all the programming steps can be performed offline at a separate workstation, meaning that the inspection system is not blocked during programming. It also means that every program can be transferred to every x|act-capable phoenix|x-ray x-ray system. The CAD data can be viewed in the live image as an overlay at any time and from any viewing angle. This always enables quick and precise solder joint mapping even with manual inspection.
µAXI-capable systems
At Productronica, phoenix|x-ray is presenting its x|act inspection technology on both nanome|x and microme|x x-ray inspection systems. The devices feature an open nanofocus or microfocus x-ray tube as standard with 180 kV maximum tube voltage and 15 or 20 W maximum power, achieving a detail detectability down to 200 nanometer with the nanome|x and 0.5 micrometer with the microme|x. The ultra-high-performance tube voltage and power ensure that even highly radiation-absorbent parts, such as heat sinks on PCBs, can be inspected. The specimen is manipulated using a calibrated, synchronised five-axis CNC machine offering excellent repeatability.
Computed tomography – an additional benefit of the microme|x and nanome|x systems
An additional benefit of offline inspection is that, because the x-ray system is not connected to the production line, it can be used for simple manual inspections or CT-based 3D component analyses without disturbing production. Furthermore, the specimen is rotated through 360º during the process, permitting a three-dimensional image to be generated from the series of 2D radioscopic images, which enables non-disruptive inspection and three-dimensional visualisation of smaller specimens. phoenix nanome|x, which features the latest x|act software, even offers extremely high-resolution nanofocus computed tomography with Voxel resolution of just a few micrometers.
Additional highlights
Another highlight at the GE stand will be the new, highly dynamic, temperature-stabilised DXR digital detector of the phoenix nanome|x. At up to 30 fps (frames per second), it offers low noise coupled with brilliant image quality. Thanks to detail detectability reaching 200 nanometers and an optical zoom of up to 24,990x, the phoenix nanome|x is particularly suited to high-resolution 2D and nanoCT inspections of high-grade assembly and construction technologies in the semiconductor and SMT industries.
GE will also be presenting phoenix nanotom, the world’s first 180 kV nanofocus CT system for particularly high-resolution 3D inspections of electronic components and assemblies with sub-micrometer Voxel resolutions. As a result of recent hardware and software innovations such as velo|CT and fast|scan, it is now possible to obtain effective CT results in minutes at the production line.