The Printed circuit board (PCB) designs have evolved over the years. Nowadays, small and complex computer designs have become popular. These dense packages, including chips, QFNs, BGAs and CSPs, contain many small components that are invisible to the naked eye. Due to the size and thickness of the design, damage and failure of these parts is unknown.
Electronics items will go bad if left on long enough. Therefore, to avoid this, electronics manufacturers use X-ray techniques. As the name suggests, this is an in-depth examination of a printed circuit board using miniature X-rays. These rays can penetrate sodium junctions and membranes. This post discusses the importance of X-ray testing on circuit boards, its functions, and benefits for your PCB applications.
Types of X-ray Testing
X-ray testing systems for CSPs, BGAs, QFNs, and flip chips are distinguished into two types:
- 2D X-ray Systems: 2D x-ray systems offer 2D images of the components on the printed circuit boards. 2D x-ray testing is ideal for simple and less complex designs. Clear pictures of the boards help identify errors and rectify the same before it escalates. 2D X-ray systems work similar to the ones used for checking bone fractures. These systems can be operated online or offline.
- 3D X-ray Testing: 3D x-ray testing is an advanced technique of PCB inspection. This testing is suitable for highly complex designs that may comprise several errors. 3D x-ray testing produces the images of cross-sections on the PCB by rebuilding 2D images.
Benefits of X-ray Testing in Printed Circuit Boards
Although various inspection methods are available for PCB inspection, X-ray inspection is the most effective. X-ray testing of printed circuits is popular because of the following advantages:
- Inspects Minute Errors in PCBs: Solder gaps, broken jumpers, filler holes, misalignment of components are some of the manufacturing defects that are missed by experts during visual inspection. X-ray testing effectively tracks these and other small defects and allows the PCB manufacturer to make improvements.
- Cost-Effective Process: Many X-ray test kits are expensive, but it is cheap to make sure the printed circuit board is faultless.
- Eliminates Downtime: Using X-ray testing enables early detection of complex defects, thereby eliminating additional downtime.
- Pin-hole Fills: This is a common problem on printed circuit boards. 2D and 3D X-ray machines carefully analyze it and the holes are filled according to the measurements, thereby eliminating future problems.
The printed circuit boards are X-rayed to ensure the quality of the products. Although many claim that X-ray diagnostics does not require special skills, this is not so. X-rays are effective when done by professionals.
If you are looking for a reliable PCB assembly service that utilizes X-ray inspection throughout all stages of production, East India Technologies. The company has built a list of happy and satisfied clients across military, aerospace, energy, and other industries. You can contact the EITPL experts to discuss your needs and X-ray inspection options.
Call us on +91 9910337896 or you can email us at info@eitpl.com and Whatsapp & Text +91 9910337896
