Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080199068 | Inspection System - An inspection system for inspecting web printed electronic circuitry includes a strobed illuminator, a detector, a motion encoder, and a processor. The strobed illuminator is adapted to project light through a reticle to project a pattern of light onto an area of the web. The projected light occurs in a pulse sufficiently short to essentially freeze the web motion. The system projects the pattern of light onto the area of the web in at least two different positions of the web each position corresponding to a different phase of the projected light. A detector is adapted to acquire at least two images of the area, each image corresponding to one of the at least two different phases. The motion encoder provides a position output relative to a position of the web. The processor is coupled to the encoder, the illuminator and the detector. The processor is adapted to synchronize the illuminator with the web motion to expose the area of the web. The processor co-sites the at least two images and can construct a height map image with the co-sited images. | 08-21-2008 |
20090046921 | PICK AND PLACE MACHINE WITH IMPROVED COMPONENT PICK UP INSPECTION - Embodiments of the present invention improve upon component level inspection performed by pick and place machines. Such improvements include inspecting the pick operation in pick and place machines by collecting images of the pick event inside the machine and identifying errors as they happen. By detecting and displaying this information as it generated on the machine, the operator or machine can take prompt and effective corrective actions. | 02-19-2009 |
20090133249 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EVALUATING A COMPONENT PICK ACTION IN AN ELECTRONICS ASSEMBLY MACHINE - An electronics assembly apparatus with improved pick evaluation is provided. The apparatus includes a placement head having at least one nozzle for releasably picking up and holding a component. A robotic system is provided for generating relative movement between the placement head and a workpiece, such as a circuit board. An image acquisition system is disposed to obtain at least one before-pick image of a component pick up location and at least one after-pick image of the component pick up location. The before-pick image contains a plurality of image portions, having each image portion view the pick-up location from a different point of view, while the after-pick image contains a plurality of image portions, having each image portion view the pick-up location from a different point of view. | 05-28-2009 |
20090135251 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EVALUATING A COMPONENT PICK ACTION IN AN ELECTRONICS ASSEMBLY MACHINE - An electronics assembly apparatus with improved pick evaluation is provided. The apparatus includes a placement head having at least one nozzle for releasably picking up and holding a component. A robotic system is provided for generating relative movement between the placement head and a workpiece, such as a circuit board. An image acquisition system is disposed to obtain at least one before-pick image of a component pick up location and at least one after-pick image of the component pick up location. The before-pick image contains a plurality of image portions, having each image portion view the pick-up location from a different point of view, while the after-pick image contains a plurality of image portions, having each image portion view the pick-up location from a different point of view. | 05-28-2009 |
20100295935 | ON-HEAD COMPONENT ALIGNMENT USING MULTIPLE AREA ARRAY IMAGE DETECTORS - A sensor for sensing component offset and orientation when held on a nozzle of a pick and place machine is provided. The sensor includes a plurality of two-dimensional cameras, a backlight illuminator and a controller. Each camera has a field of view that includes a nozzle of the pick and place machine. The backlight illuminator is configured to direct illumination toward the plurality of two-dimensional cameras. The backlight illuminator is positioned on an opposite side of a nozzle from the plurality of two-dimensional cameras. The controller is coupled to the plurality of two-dimensional cameras and the backlight illuminator. The controller is configured to determine offset and orientation information of the component(s) based upon a plurality of backlit shadow images detected by the plurality of two-dimensional cameras. The controller provides the offset and orientation information to a controller of the pick and place machine. | 11-25-2010 |
20110069507 | DARK FIELD ILLUMINATOR WITH LARGE WORKING AREA - An illuminator is described which may be used with large inspection areas and which provides a dark field illumination pattern that is spatially uniform, illuminates from consistent angles, has high efficiency, and is smaller than existing solutions. A light pipe has a first end proximate an object to be illuminated and a second end opposite the first end and spaced from the first end. The light pipe also has at least one reflective sidewall. The first end of the light pipe includes an exit aperture and the second end has at least one opening to allow at least one image acquisition device to view the surface therethrough. At least one light source is configured to provide illumination in the light pipe. The object is illuminated by the first end of the light pipe by illumination at a selected elevation angle and substantially all azimuth angles. | 03-24-2011 |
20110069878 | HIGH SPEED OPTICAL INSPECTION SYSTEM WITH CAMERA ARRAY AND COMPACT, INTEGRATED ILLUMINATOR - An optical inspection system is provided for inspecting a workpiece including a feature to be inspected. The system includes a workpiece transport configured to transport the workpiece in a nonstop manner. An illuminator is configured to provide a first strobed illumination field type and a second strobed illumination field type. The illuminator includes a light pipe having a first end proximate the feature, and a second end opposite the first end and spaced from the first end. The light pipe also has at least one reflective sidewall. The first end has an exit aperture and the second end has at least one second end aperture to provide a view of the feature therethrough. An array of cameras is configured to digitally image the feature. The array of cameras is configured to generate a first plurality of images of the feature with the first illumination field and a second plurality of images of the feature with the second illumination field. A processing device is operably coupled to the illuminator and the array of cameras, the processing device is configured to store at least some of the first and second plurality of images and provide the first and second pluralities to an other device. | 03-24-2011 |
20110090333 | HIGH SPEED OPTICAL INSPECTION SYSTEM WITH ADAPTIVE FOCUSING - An optical inspection system for inspecting a substrate is provided. The system includes an array of cameras configured to acquire a plurality of sets of images as the substrate and the array undergo relative motion with respect to each other. At least one focus actuator is operably coupled to each camera of the array of cameras to cause displacement of at least a portion of each camera that affects focus. A substrate range calculator is configured to receive at least portions of images from the array and to calculate range between the array of cameras and the substrate. A controller is coupled to the array of cameras and to the range calculator. The controller is configured to provide a control signal to each of the at least one focus actuator to adaptively focus each camera of the array during the relative motion. | 04-21-2011 |
20110102575 | HIGH SPEED DISTRIBUTED OPTICAL SENSOR INSPECTION SYSTEM - An electronics assembly line includes a first electronics assembly machine and a second electronics assembly machine. The first electronics assembly machine has a first electronics assembly machine outlet. The second electronics assembly machine has a second electronics assembly machine inlet and outlet. The inlet of the second electronics assembly machine is coupled to the outlet of the first electronics assembly machine by a conveyor. A first optical inspection sensor is disposed over the conveyor before the inlet of the second electronics assembly and is configured to provide first sensor inspection image data relative to a substrate that passes beneath the first optical inspection sensor in a non-stop fashion. A second optical inspection sensor is disposed over the conveyor after the outlet of the second electronics assembly machine and is configured to provide second sensor inspection image data relative to a substrate that passes beneath the second optical inspection sensor in a non-stop fashion. A computer is operably coupled to the first and second optical inspection sensors and is configured to provide an inspection result based upon at least one of the first and second inspection image data. | 05-05-2011 |
20110175997 | HIGH SPEED OPTICAL INSPECTION SYSTEM WITH MULTIPLE ILLUMINATION IMAGERY - An optical inspection system ( | 07-21-2011 |
20120133920 | HIGH SPEED, HIGH RESOLUTION, THREE DIMENSIONAL PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD INSPECTION SYSTEM - An optical inspection system includes a printed circuit board (PCB) transport and an illuminator that provides at least a first strobed illumination field. The illuminator includes a light pipe having a first end proximate the PCB, and a second end opposite the first end and spaced from the first end. An array of cameras is configured to digitally image the PCB and to generate a plurality of images of the PCB with the at least first strobed illumination field type. At least one structured light projector is disposed to project structured illumination on the PCB. The at least one array of cameras is configured to digitally image the PCB while the PCB is illuminated with structured light, to provide a plurality of structured light images. A processing device is configured to generate an inspection result as a function of the plurality of images and the plurality of structured light images. | 05-31-2012 |
20120327215 | HIGH SPEED OPTICAL SENSOR INSPECTION SYSTEM - An optical inspection sensor is provided. The sensor includes an array of cameras configured to acquire image data relative to a workpiece that moves relative to the array of cameras in a non-stop fashion. An illumination system is disposed to provide a pulse of illumination when the array of cameras acquires the image data. At least some image data includes data regarding a skip mark or barcode on the workpiece. | 12-27-2012 |