Stereo inspection systems look at lead-free lines: News from Vision Engineering

Note: A free brochure or catalogue is available from Vision Engineering on the products in this news release. Click here to request a copy.

Vision Engineering will be exhibiting as part of the Smart Group hands-on lead-free production sessions, to be held at Nepcon Brighton. Lead-free legislation is changing the face of today's electronics manufacturing industry and new solder techniques are altering the look of PCBs, both in terms of their physical appearance and the defects that can occur. Vision Engineering's stereo optical inspection systems offer an unbeatable inspection solution to these new challenges.

The introduction of new soldering techniques presents a number of challenges to the UK's electronics manufacturers.

Equipment that was previously used to manufacture using standard tin/lead (Sn-Pb) solder is now being modified or replaced to work with the latest generation of lead free solders.

With harsher process conditions and higher operating temperatures, manufacturers have to be confident that components are still being produced to the same quality levels.

To do this, Vision Engineering's range of optical stereo inspection systems are providing a vital accessory to production.

In comparison to conventional Sn-Pb solder, the joints and connections formed by the new lead free techniques are visually quite different, in terms of the surface finish, reflectivity and fillet shape.

Also, being less tolerant to temperature variations during manufacture, lead free processes can result in inadequate reflow.

The result is that inspection techniques must be modified to accommodate these changes.

Additionally, the higher reflow temperatures necessary for lead free solder take components and bare boards close to their operating tolerances, resulting in possible die cracking, adhesive degradation or delamination.

Vision Engineering manufactures a range of ergonomically optimised stereo inspection systems, all of which present a true, optical, colour image with excellent depth perception, vital when viewing the complex, reflective features on a PCB.

This range has been optimised for the electronics industry and includes ESD protected variants, oblique viewing accessories and magnification ranges from x2 through to x160.

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