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| Choosing the Right Lighting for Machine Vision Applications | | Publication Date: 2/1/2016 |
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By John Lewis, Global Content Marketing Manager — Vision, Cognex Corporation
Machine vision systems create images by analyzing the reflected light from an object; not the object itself. A good image is the result of proper focus and illumination. Images with poor contrast and uneven illumination require much more effort from the imaging computer, which increases ... |
| From Asset-centric Management to Service-centric Relationships | | Publication Date: 2/1/2016 |
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By Pasi Roppanan, Director of Customer Service Solutions, JOT Automation
As technology has advanced, consumers have grown to expect more. Companies are pushed to create the most powerful, eye-catching smart device; of better quality than competitors, and at a lower price to the customer. In this competitive market, manufacturers must maximize output while ... |
| Improving Traditional Test Methods | | Publication Date: 2/1/2016 |
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Process inspections, including solder paste inspection (SPI), automated optical inspection (AOI), and X-ray, are able to detect most assembly errors — but others may lurk under the surface. SPI detects if solder paste is missing on certain pads, AOI is capable of identifying missing, misaligned, ... |
| Leading the Way…With Test and Measurement Solutions | | Publication Date: 2/1/2016 |
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By Richard Russo, Marketing Manager, Advanced Test Equipment Rentals, San Diego, CA
Renting test equipment can result in numerous benefits for a company, including saving in capital expenses by not having to buy the test equipment and not having to store the equipment when it is not being used, or having to upgrade equipment that becomes obsolete with age. Renting ... |
| Piezo Mechanisms in Optics and Laser Technology | | Publication Date: 2/1/2016 |
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By Stefan Vorndran, Scott Jordan and Steffen Arnold, Physik Instrumente L.P.
The delivery of a laser beam requires precise motion of optical components. Piezo mechanisms provide just this. Piezoelectric systems are currently the gold standard of motion control, because of their speed and precision. Laser systems engineers have a large toolbox of options at their ... |
| Saving Valuable Time in SMT and Test Programming | | Publication Date: 2/1/2016 |
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By Michael Ford, Mentor Graphics
It can take many days for a team to prepare a line for production. First, information is gathered. This includes the details of each placement, test and inspection requirement. The data are often collected in a mass of different formats, both digital and physical, as a designer tries ... |
| The Evolution of Cleaning Methods in PCB Rework | | Publication Date: 2/1/2016 |
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By Robert Roush and Paul Wood, Metcal
The rework process has long consisted of three steps: removal of the inoperative component, cleaning of residual solder from the ball grid assembly (BGA) pads which held the component in place, and replacement with a new component to create a viable, working PCB. The first and third ... |
| An Introduction to Automated Optical Inspection Technology | | Publication Date: 3/18/2015 |
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Ondrej Simecek, TRI Marketing Department, TRI, Taiwan
Numerous technologies are critical to the effective and efficient production of printed-circuit boards (PCBs) and one of those technologies that continues to grow in importance is automated optical inspection (AOI). AOI technology is rapidly becoming part of quality control in the production ... |
| Boundary-Scan Testing Checks Complex Circuit Designs | | Publication Date: 3/18/2015 |
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By Peter van den Eijnden, Managing Director, JTAG Technologies, Easton, MD
Boundary-scan testing (also known as IEEE Standard 1149.1) and its related specifications, has become the de facto standard for testing complex digital and mixed-signal circuit designs during manufacturing of printed-circuit-board assemblies (PCBAs). While conventional test ... |
| Cable and Harness Manufacturing: Productivity Through Flexibility | | Publication Date: 3/18/2015 |
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By Margaret Bishop, CAMI Research, Inc., Acton, MA
Choosing a flexible wire cable and harness test system is part of a decision process meant to provide improved productivity. A truly flexible test system will ensure usability and investment longevity across product lines, lifecycles, and generations. As a consequence, such a test system ... |
| Capturing and Filtering Airborne Contaminants in the Workplace | | Publication Date: 3/18/2015 |
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By Stefan Meissner, ULT AG
Ensuring safety and occupational health in the workplace has become increasingly important for manufacturing facilities in recent years. It should certainly be considered as part of the job rather than an annoyance. As manufacturing processes have grown in complexity, the pollutants ... |
| Measuring Three Levels of Process Control in Thermal Profiling | | Publication Date: 3/18/2015 |
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By Patrick McWiggin, Technical Director, Solderstar Ltd.
Maintaining process control within tightly defined limits is an important part of achieving high product quality in today's electronic manufacturing facilities. The pressures to deliver products in shorter development cycles and with increased capacities pose significant challenges ... |
| Probing Power Supplies for Use with Test Equipment | | Publication Date: 3/18/2015 |
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By Paul Kingsepp, Product Manager, SL Power Corp., Ventura, CA
Test-equipment designers face many challenges when choosing an optimum power supply for their designs. A basic starting point usually involves power capacity, in terms of voltage and amperage, cooling requirements, size, and regulatory certifications. If the criteria for choosing a ... |
| The Benefits of Soldering with Vacuum Profiles | | Publication Date: 3/18/2015 |
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Helmut Ottl, Head of Application and Product Management, Rehm Thermal Systems
Forming solder joints is a critical part of printed-circuit-board (PCB) manufacturing and is impacted by a large number of parameters. A workgroup on solder voids prepared an overview of these factors to provide a greater understanding of the problem. However, the overview only included ... |
| Combining 2D and 3D AOI Inspection: The Most Effective Inspection | | Publication Date: 12/5/2014 |
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By Kevin Garcia, Nordson YESTECH
Automated optical inspection (AOI) has become an essential tool in today's surface-mount-technology (SMT) manufacturing environment. Growing trends towards the use of smaller components, more advanced component packaging, finer lead pitches, and higher printed-circuit-board (PCB) densities ... |
| ECU: Replacing Legacy Equipment with High-Performance Capability | | Publication Date: 12/5/2014 |
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By Michael T. McGrath, Contributing Editor
Upgrading production equipment can usually support higher manufacturing volumes and increased capacity. For that reason, Engineering Concepts Unlimited, Inc. (ECU) in Fishers, IN recently purchased a second Sigma modular mounter from Hitachi High Technologies America (www.hitachi-hta ... |
| Industrial Connectors Outperform Hardwiring | | Publication Date: 12/5/2014 |
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By Craig Zagorski, Market and Applications Manager for Automation/Machinery, NA, Harting, Inc. of North America
Thousands of equipment manufacturers have switched from point-to-point (hard) wiring to connector-based cable assemblies in factory and process automation and control systems. By adopting progressive connectivity solutions, they have improved both unit costs and productivity. Using ... |
| Mirtec: Delivering Tomorrow's Inspection Technology Today | | Publication Date: 12/5/2014 |
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By Megan Jergens, Mirtec Corp.
The latest industry challenge comes from the LED fabrication sector, and Mirtec, closely monitoring this emerging trend, has entered the LED arena with the debut of the MV-9XP LED Package Inspection System, with technology specifically developed to address the inspection requirements ... |
| Sorting Test Gear for Military Measurements | | Publication Date: 12/5/2014 |
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By Jeffrey Paulownia
Military electronic systems are governed by their own sets of standards and demanding requirements in order to meet performance levels under a wide range of highly difficult environmental conditions. Testing these electronic systems and their components usually calls for measurement ... |
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