Thermographic Inspection of Unpowered Components for Internal Defect Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for inspecting internal components of manufactured assemblies, such as circuit boards, are inefficient, costly, and unsafe, as they often require expensive x-ray machines and functionality testing, which can miss defects like missing heatsinks.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing thermographic imaging with a machine learning model to analyze the thermal signatures of internal components by applying controlled heating, allowing for safe, real-time inspection of internal features like wirebonds, dies, and heatsinks without powering the components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If x-ray machines are used to inspect internal components, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex x-ray inspection equipment with a simplified thermal imaging system. By applying heat to the component and using infrared cameras to detect thermal patterns, the system achieves internal component inspection without requiring expensive and complex x-ray machinery. The thermal response patterns reveal internal defects like missing heatsinks or damaged traces through non-invasive temperature measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the inspection parameter from electromagnetic radiation (x-rays) to thermal energy detection. By measuring temperature distribution and thermal response patterns instead of using ionizing radiation, the system simplifies the inspection apparatus while maintaining the ability to detect internal component defects through thermal imaging.
2Reliability
If functionality testing is performed to verify performance, then reliability is improved, but productivity decreases due to time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary thermal inspection before functionality testing. By detecting internal defects through thermal imaging patterns early in the inspection process, the system can identify defective components without requiring time-consuming functional performance tests, thereby improving productivity while maintaining reliability through preliminary defect detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the defect detection function from the complete functionality testing process. By using thermal imaging to specifically detect internal structural defects separate from functional performance verification, the system can quickly identify defective components without requiring full functional testing, thus improving inspection speed while maintaining quality control.
3Ease of operation
If visual inspection is used to detect deformities, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates for internal components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces thermal energy as an intermediary to reveal internal component characteristics. By applying heat and using infrared cameras to detect thermal patterns, the system makes internal defects visible through their thermal response, bridging the gap between simple external visual inspection and complex internal examination methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses thermal imaging to create visual representations of temperature distribution, where different temperatures appear as different colors or intensity levels. This allows internal defects to be visually detected through thermal pattern variations, maintaining the simplicity of visual inspection while dramatically improving the ability to detect internal component defects.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate, efficient, and cost-effective quality analysis of internal components by differentiating between acceptable and defective parts, identifying issues like missing heatsinks or damaged pins, and automating quality dispositions through machine learning.
Implementation Method 1
an external heat source for heating the unpowered component for a predetermined period of time
Implementation Method 2
a thermographic imaging system for collecting thermographic images of the unpowered component during the predetermined period of time
Data Source
AI summary
Described are techniques for quality analysis using thermographic imaging. In one example, a system including a test chamber for receiving an unpowered component. The system further includes an external heat source for heating the unpowered component for a predetermined period of time. The system further includes a thermographic imaging system for collecting thermographic images of the unpowered component during the predetermined period of time. The system further includes a computer communicatively coupled to the thermographic imaging system and configured to classify a quality of the unpowered component based on the thermographic images of the unpowered component.