Inspection has long had a place in the production of printed-circuit boards (PCBs), as shrinking component sizes, multiple layers, and hidden solder balls hinder the access necessary for electrical test. And optical and x-ray inspection techniques not only make up for a lack of test coverage, but they can also uncover problems such as solder-paste deficiencies or missing components early in the production process.

Of course, inspection alone isn't sufficient. Few would opt to ship a product that hasn't undergone structural, in-circuit, or functional electrical test. To that end, boundary-scan tools and electrical test systems have evolved to provide enhanced test coverage.

What's been missing as inspection and test tools evolve, however, has been a recipe for deciding how much of each you'll need. To help you make sense of the choices, the IPC at APEX will present a panel of executives representing Agilent Technologies, Asset InterTech, CyberOptics, CheckSum, Everett-Charles, and YesTech, who will discuss how to mix and match test and inspection technologies. I will moderate the panel, scheduled for 10:15 am on April 3 at APEX in Las Vegas.

You won't get a formal recipe, but you'll learn valuable information that will help you sort through these firms' x-ray inspection, optical inspection, boundary-scan, and electrical-test offerings. More important, you'll have a chance to make your comments heard.

Contact Rick Nelson at rnelson@tmworld.com.