Centralized Inspection System for Printed Circuit Boards
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Solution Overview
Problem
In high-volume production of printed circuit boards, existing inspection systems face challenges in reducing tact time due to the need for manual visual inspection across multiple lines, leading to increased labor and time requirements.
Innovation Solution
An inspection system with multiple lines, each equipped with automatic and visual appearance inspection devices, utilizes a centralized control device to pre-capture images from visual appearance inspection devices and store them in a database, allowing for centralized and efficient visual inspection by displaying pre-captured images on a display unit, thereby reducing the need for real-time camera positioning and focusing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If visual inspection is performed manually for each inspection line sequentially, then inspection quality can be maintained through inspector attention, but tact time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection system divides multiple inspection lines into separate inspection units, each with its own visual appearance inspection device. The centralized management terminal segments the inspection tasks by allowing inspectors to selectively inspect specific lines or all lines in sequence, while the system automatically manages the workflow to minimize idle time.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual appearance inspection device captures images of inspection objects in advance before they reach the centralized management terminal. This pre-capturing action allows the inspection process to be decoupled from the conveyance timing, enabling the terminal to display and inspect images without waiting for real-time camera positioning and focusing.
2Productivity
If multiple inspection lines are inspected simultaneously by one inspector, then productivity increases, but inspection quality may deteriorate due to inspector fatigue or divided attention
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates digital copies of inspection objects through image capture by the visual appearance inspection device. These image copies are transmitted to the centralized management terminal, allowing inspectors to examine multiple inspection lines simultaneously without direct physical inspection of each object, thereby maintaining quality while improving throughput.
3Measurement precision
If real-time image capture and display is performed for each inspection line, then inspection accuracy is maintained, but system complexity and response time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized management terminal acts as an intermediary between the visual appearance inspection devices and the inspector. It receives image data from multiple inspection lines, manages the display of inspection images, and coordinates the inspection workflow, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining inspection accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
In order to reduce inspection tact time in centralized management of a plurality of inspection lines, the system includes: a plurality of inspection lines 4 each having a visual appearance inspection device 3; a first database 5A for storing a captured image captured by each of the visual appearance inspection device 3; and a centralized control device 6 connected to each of the visual appearance inspection devices 3 and the first database 5A, having a display unit 32 that displays an inspection image of an inspection object 7, and enabling visual inspection of the inspection object 7 conveyed on each of the inspection lines 4 in a centralized manner; wherein, while one of the inspection lines 4 is inspected by using the centralized control device 6, the visual appearance inspection devices 3 of the other inspection lines 4 pre-captures the inspection object 7 conveyed on the inspection line 4 under predetermined capturing conditions and stores the pre-captured image in the first database 5A, and wherein the pre-captured image read from the first database 5A is displayed on the display unit 32 in the visual inspection.