APEX highlights test and inspection
Rick Nelson, Chief Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 2/12/2006 11:22:00 AM
APEX, held February 8-10 in Anaheim, CA, and sponsored by IPC--Association Connecting Electronics Industries (www.ipc.org), saw the debut of automated inspection systems as well as printed-circuit-board test equipment.
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ViTechnology (www.vitechnology.com) introduced its Vision 2006 software for its AOI systems. The software includes CAD-data-import, line-quality-management, repair, and statistical-process-control tools. The company also debuted the Vi-1K, a bench-top AOI system that comes with Vision 2006 software.
Machine Vision Products (www.visionpro.com) premiered its Ultra 850G AOI system. A granite-based stage affords 10-micron accuracy. Acquisition speed reaches 56 mega pixels per second with a single, large-format 4-megapixel color camera. The system also can inspect up to 90 cm2/s over a 14x14-in. inspection envelope.
FocalSpot (www.focalspot.com) debuted its Concept FX multi-axis x-ray system for BGA/SMT inspection and rework; it features six axes of motion control and a no-clamp sample tray for fast load and unload. Its source and detector tilt off-axis in relation to the sample, providing oblique object viewing in real-time. The system has a compact footprint of 46x52 in. but can inspect PCBs measuring up to 20x24 in. Base price is $62,250.Phoenix|x-ray (www.phoenix-xray.com), Viscom (www.viscom.de), and X-Tek Systems (www.xtekxray.com) all introduced systems to the North American market. For Phoenix, those systems are Nanotom 160-kV computed-tomography system, which will be available at a typical price of $400,000, and the company's $200,000 to $350,000 Nanome|x, which supports 3D computed tomography as well as 2D inspection applications. Viscom introduced its S6056 automated optical inspection (AOI) system for printed-circuit boards, which provides for parallel inspection of two PCBs, while X-Tek's new North American entry is its Nanotech x-ray source.
In other inspection news, X-Tek also demonstrated its Revolution x-ray inspection system, which offers a viewing angle of up to 75 degrees over a 16x16-in. manipulator scan area. VJ Electronix (www.vjelectronix.com) displayed its Model 1550 automated x-ray inspection system, designed specifically for the manufacturing floor, as well as its Summit 750LF advanced rework system.
Omron Electronics (www.omron.com/oei) displayed its VP1000 solder-paste inspection system, which offers high-speed, high-precision 3-D inspection inline. The system uses a color-stripe phase-shifting inspection technique to cut inspection time. Operators can choose standard or high-resolution inspection modes to allow optimum inspection of areas being viewed.
In board-test news, Seica (www.seica.com) debuted the Aerial L4 addition to its Pilot line of flying-probe test systems; Aerial employs a vertical board-clamping system to minimize vibration of the board under test. Aerial also offers a small footprint while supporting a 24x24-in. board-test area. Goepel Electronic (www.goepel.com) introduced a new member of its ScanFlex boundary-scan platform; the SFX/TSL1149-(x) adds FireWire interfacing while also supporting USB2.0 and Ethernet.
Digitaltest (www.digitaltest.com) showcased its Condor 500 flying prober and announced that Primus Technologies (www.primus-tech.com) has selected a Condor system for board programming and test. Elektrobit (www.elektrobit.com) introduced to the North American market its J401-11 "Tiny" test handler as well as display-tester software for LCDs and keyboards. The company also demonstrated test-handler hardware operating in conjunction with a Digitaltest board-test system.
Agilent Technologies demonstrated versions of its Medalist in-circuit test system, including one tailored for automotive applications. Everett Charles Technologies (www.ectinfo.com) displayed its Eliminator fixtureless technology for testing bare PCB panels. Eliminator acts as a prescreener for flying-probe test systems. W. L. Gore announced that it has added connector-assembly configuration capability to its online flat-cable and trackless-cable configurator tool (www.gore.com/designcable).
Device programming technology was also represented. BP Microsystems (www.bpmicro.com) highlighted its latest manual programers, which feature USB 2.0 and support for in-circuit programming. Data I/O (www.dataio.com) previewed a production programming system designed to deliver high-volume automated duplication of multimedia (MMC) cards and Secure Digital (SD) cards, and Checksum (www.checksum.com) highlighted the ever-expanding roster of device support on its MultiWriter platform.
Updated 2/16/1006
