In recent times, multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs) have been extensively applied in the electronics industry owing to their high capacities for complex and densely packed circuit layouts arranged in a limited space. The inspection of fabricated multilayer PCBs is thus important in order to ensure quality control and improve the fabrication process. In this paper, an automated X-ray machine vision system was developed exclusively for the inspection of the layer-to-layer misalignment of laminated multilayer PCBs. Based on a mechatronics system and X-ray image processing techniques, an automated misalignment inspection process was established. Experiments meant to inspect three critical layer-to-layer misalignment modes, expansion, contraction, and offset, found within ten-layer PCB samples, were conducted to test the feasibility of the developed machine inspection system. The experimental results show that the developed X-ray machine vision system, combined with the automated misalignment inspection process, was able to undertake misalignment inspection of certain multilayer PCBs.
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