Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1466505
MAY 2022 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 53 ment should be able to access through this new soware reporting capability? Caissie: ey can use the soware to program a number of different locations into the machine so that when they initiate a routine, it will go through and inspect each of those locations. Each of those locations can have custom set- tings for the X-ray power, the zoom position- ing of the source and detector, and the detec- tor angle. It also can perform automated BGA analysis, generate reports, and save that infor- mation. We have several different filters we can apply to the images. We have one that is called the automatic defect enhancement filter that saves the full 16 bits of data that we get out of that detector, and it uses the full range of that data to produce a high contrast image. (On some monitors that you're looking at these images on are only eight bit which compresses the viewable range.) at's a nice way to bring that information together in a very visible way for an operator. Johnson: What are the implications this new data gathering capability brings to business analysis? Does this data provide feedback to the programmers who are setting up the jobs for the OEM or the design team, to help them understand where they may have a weakness in their design and their layout? How far back upstream can you feed this information, Bren- nan? Caissie: is can go all the way back to the design phase when you're designing for repair- ability, designing for ease of manufacturing. If you're looking at some of these BGA analysis tools, for instance, and you see that there are many contacts with bridged solder, misplaced solder, or missing solder, you can feed that back into the design team and say, "Perhaps there's some layout changes we can make." You can feed that back to the manufacturing floor and tell them that maybe there's something wrong with your solder process, where it's not creating a full fill on these components. It can really affect everything from design through manufacturing. Johnson: Right. When you have a piece of equipment like this on the factory floor, that conversation inevitably leads to return on investment. What are some of the key ele- ments for this Apogee machine in delivering a rapid ROI for the customer? Caissie: Sure. It's a bit hard to quantify if a machine is targeted for inspection for sam- pling. What you're really doing is preventing errors down the line and optimizing a process to avoid any costly situations where you would have to either bring in a lot of rework or even scrap boards because they're not being man- ufactured correctly. Within a few years, the money you save from being able to prevent those kinds of errors should outweigh the cost of the machine. Johnson: e actual ROI comes out of saved labor and material in resolving manufacturing issues. Caissie: Exactly. It makes it a lot easier to iden- tify issues early and to prevent them. If you're using it as a sampling device, you can pre- vent errors in manufacturing by catching them early. As you say, it reduces labor and wasted material quite a bit. Within a few years, the money you save from being able to prevent those kinds of errors should outweigh the cost of the machine.