Abstract: A defective soldering point intensive extent analysis system for solder paste inspection and a method thereof are disclosed. After the circuit board is set with soldering pastes, the solder paste inspection can immediately detect a circuit board to generate a detection log, the information of defective soldering points in the detection log is analyzed to determine an aggregate of the defective soldering points set on the circuit board, so as to find a defective soldering point area, and generate and display defective soldering point alert information according to statistics of the defective soldering point area, thereby achieving the technical effect of conveniently analyzing the defective soldering points on the circuit board for accurate repair.

Abstract: A defect inspection system is disclosed. According to certain embodiments, the system includes a memory storing instructions implemented as a plurality of modules. Each of the plurality of modules is configured to detect defects having a different property. The system also includes a controller configured to cause the computer system to: receive inspection data representing an image of a wafer; input the inspection data to a first module of the plurality of modules, the first module outputs a first set of points of interests (POIs) having a first property; input the first set of POIs to a second module of the plurality of modules, the second module output a second set of POIs having the second property; and report that the second set of POIs as defects having both the first property and the second property.

Abstract: A solder joint inspection model training method includes the steps of: training a first identification model according to first sample images to identify a surface-mount device with a solder joint in an image; training a second identification model according to second sample images to identify a surface-mount device without a solder joint in an image; inputting labeled original images to a trained first identification model to output first images; inputting the first images to a trained second identification model to output second images; masking the first images with the second images to generate images with normal solder joints and images with abnormal solder joints; and training a solder joint inspection model based on the images with normal solder joints and the images with abnormal solder joints.

Abstract: A vision inspection system includes an imaging device that is configured to image parts being inspected. The vision inspection system includes a vision inspection controller that is configured to be communicatively coupled to a machine controller of the part manufacture machine by a communication network. The vision inspection controller communicates with the communication network using a first communication protocol. The vision inspection controller creates an absolute path directory at the machine controller. The vision inspection controller receives an image from the imaging device. The vision inspection controller communicates a first trigger to the absolute path directory upon receipt of the image from the imaging device. The vision inspection controller processes the image from the imaging device to determine inspection results for a first part of the parts. The vision inspection controller sends at least one of the image or the inspection results to the machine controller.

Abstract: A substrate inspection device that is placed on an upstream side of a component mounting machine that mounts an electronic component on solder that is printed on a substrate by a solder printing machine, and that inspects the solder and a thermosetting adhesive applied on the substrate, the substrate inspection device including: an irradiator that irradiates the solder and the adhesive with light; an imaging device that takes an image of the irradiated solder and the irradiated adhesive; and a processor that: generates actual solder position information of a solder group that the electronic component is mounted on based on the image, wherein the solder group includes two or more solders; generates, based on design data or manufacturing data, ideal solder inspection reference information indicating a reference inspection position and/or a reference inspection range of the solder included in the solder group.

Abstract: An automatic estimation method comprises a first step (STEP 01) of introducing a shape data on an item, a second step (STEP 02) of recognizing a shape of the item on the basis of the shape data, a third step (STEP 06) of acquiring a manufacturing condition which can be selected on the basis of the recognized shape, a fourth step (STEP 08) of displaying the manufacturing condition and corresponding price and delivery time, and a fifth step (STEP 09, STEP 10) of updating the displayed price and delivery time depending on change of the manufacturing condition.

Abstract: A defect inspection system is disclosed. According to certain embodiments, the system includes a memory storing instructions implemented as a plurality of modules. Each of the plurality of modules is configured to detect defects having a different property. The system also includes a controller configured to cause the computer system to: receive inspection data representing an image of a wafer; input the inspection data to a first module of the plurality of modules, the first module outputs a first set of points of interests (POIs) having a first property; input the first set of POIs to a second module of the plurality of modules, the second module output a second set of POIs having the second property; and report that the second set of POIs as defects having both the first property and the second property.

Abstract: A transfer state inspection system including a camera configured to capture a transfer state of a transfer material of any of solder, flux, conductive paste, or adhesive transferred to multiple terminals on a lower surface of an electronic component; an image processing section configured to process an image captured by the camera to recognize the transfer state of the transfer material such that the transfer state inspection system inspects the transfer state of the transfer material based on a recognition result of the image processing section; an inspection target specifying section configured to specify whether inspection is necessary for at least a portion of the terminals among the multiple terminals on the lower surface of the electronic component via an operation from an operator or a production program; and an inspection executing section configured to not inspect the transfer state of the transfer material for terminals specified as unnecessary.

Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an x-ray inspection apparatus that detects an x-ray passing through a specimen with a detection unit to sequentially inspect a plurality of specimens on the basis of an acquired transmission image, includes a setting unit that sets a region to be inspected on a portion of the specimen; a determination unit that determines the non-defectiveness of the region to be inspected by using a transmission image of the x-ray that passed through the region to be inspected; a correction unit that performs a correction on the region to be inspected on the basis of a determination result by the determination unit; and a display control unit that displays the corrected region to be inspected corrected by the correction unit.

Abstract: A solder printing inspection device that inspects a printing state of solder paste printed on a substrate having a through hole into which a lead terminal of an insertion component is inserted, the solder printing inspection device including: a non-printing face side illuminator that irradiates an inspection range on a non-printing face side with a predetermined light, wherein the non-printing face side is opposite to a printing face side, out of a surface and a rear face of the substrate; a non-printing face side camera that takes an image of the inspection range on the non-printing face side of the substrate irradiated with the predetermined light; and a controller that executes inspection with regard to the solder paste in the inspection range, based on image data with regard to the inspection range on the non-printing face side of the substrate taken by the non-printing face side camera.

Abstract: Disclosed are a substrate inspection apparatus and a method for displaying a component in a three-dimensional inspection of a substrate. The substrate inspection apparatus measures a substrate or an inspection target region of interest of the substrate and displays an image of components positioned within the measured region on a display unit. The image of the components displayed on the display unit may be displayed in a predetermined reference direction. The difference between the reference direction and a direction in which the actual component is disposed on the substrate is displayed in the form of a numerical value or a figure. Alternatively, the image of the component in the reference direction and the image of the actually disposed component are simultaneously displayed on a screen, and a user may convert a display method of the image by using a toggle button.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus includes at least one projection unit configured to project a light pattern on a target object, at least one imaging unit configured to capture an image of the target object on which the light pattern is projected, an acquisition unit configured to acquire information about a distance from the projection unit or the imaging unit to the target object based on the image captured by the imaging unit, a grouping unit configured to group surfaces of the target object, and a determination unit configured to determine a light pattern to be projected by the projection unit based on the surfaces grouped by the grouping unit.

Abstract: Semiconductor device design methods and conductive bump pattern enhancement methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of designing a semiconductor device includes designing a conductive bump pattern design, and implementing a conductive bump pattern enhancement algorithm on the conductive bump pattern design to create an enhanced conductive bump pattern design. A routing pattern is designed based on the enhanced conductive bump pattern design. A design rule checking (DRC) procedure is performed on the routing pattern.

Abstract: A first X-ray image is obtained by imaging a target in a first direction and at a first elevation angle, and a second X-ray image is obtained by imaging the target in a second direction and at a second elevation angle. Based on these two X-ray images, cross-section data of the target is obtained. The first and second X-ray images are converted into first and second thickness data, and first cross-section data based on a first surface side of the target and second cross-section data based on a second surface side of the target are obtained based on the first thickness data. Similar third cross-section data and four cross-section data are obtained based on the second thickness data. The cross-section data of the target is obtained by partially extracting and synthesizing cross-section data of a highly reliable region from these pieces of cross-section data.

Abstract: A surface pattern detecting method includes: capturing a surface image of a sample element to be detected, wherein the surface image containing N grayscale pixels and wherein the N is a positive integer; selecting f×N pixels with small grayscale value based on a selection ratio f in order to define a pattern zone and further calculating a pattern mean of the pattern zone based on pixel amount and grayscale value of the pattern zone; selecting f×N pixels with big grayscale value in order to define a background zone and further calculating a background mean of the background zone based on pixel amount and grayscale value of the background zone; and determining whether the surface image has a defect based on the pattern means of the pattern zone and the background mean of the background zone.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a joint inspection apparatus for judging whether an electronic component mounted on a board is appropriately soldered to the board capable of increasing accuracy in judging a state of a joint by combining at least two joint features with each other and capable of allowing a user to intuitively and easily change a reference for judging the state of the joint. The joint inspection apparatus includes: a three-dimensional shape measuring device measuring joint features; a classifying device judging a state of a joint by at least two joint features transmitted by the three-dimensional shape measuring device; and a user interface device displaying the state of the joint, wherein the state of the joint is displayed in a joint space graph in which a user may easily adjust a judgment reference.

Abstract: A substrate surface detection unit performs image analysis of cross-sectional images of an object to be inspected including a substrate and an electronic component and specifies a surface image on which the surface of the substrate is photographed. A pseudo cross-sectional image creation unit specifies a region of the solder for joining the substrate and the electronic component, the solder being photographed on the cross-sectional images, and creates a pseudo cross-sectional image in which an imaged region is made to have a thickness in a pseudo manner by piling up the cross-sectional images on which the solder is photographed. An inspection unit estimates whether the joint state of the solder is good or bad by performing image analysis on the region of the solder photographed on the surface image and the pseudo cross-sectional image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the acquisition of tilted series images of a minute sample in a short time. The present invention relates to: measuring in advance the relation between an amount of focus shift and a degree of coincidence at the time of acquiring tilted series images; calculating backwards a focus shift from the degree of coincidence on the basis of this relation; correcting the focus shift by controlling a stage, an objective lens, and the like; and thus acquiring the tilted series images. In addition, the present invention relates to: acquiring a reference image in advance at the time of photographing the tilted series images; obtaining the correlation between an acquired image and the reference image; and performing, if the degree of coincidence is equal to or smaller than a set value, processing such as the transmission of a warning message and the stop of an image acquisition sequence.

Abstract: Removing material from the surface of a first circuit comprises generating a first laser pulse using a pulse generator; targeting a spot on the first circuit using a focusing component; delivering the first laser pulse to the spot on the first circuit, the first circuit including a digital component; ablating material from the spot using the first laser pulse without changing a state of the digital component; testing performance of the first circuit, the testing being performed without reinitializing the circuit between the steps of ablating material and testing performance. Targeting the spot on the first circuit comprises generating a second laser pulse using a pulse generator; delivering a second laser pulse to a sacrificial piece of material; detecting the position of the ablation caused by the second laser pulse with a vision system that forms an image; and using this image to guide the first laser to the spot.

Abstract: Various methods and systems for utilizing design data in combination with inspection data are provided. One computer-implemented method for binning defects detected on a wafer includes comparing portions of design data proximate positions of the defects in design data space. The method also includes determining if the design data in the portions is at least similar based on results of the comparing step. In addition, the method includes binning the defects in groups such that the portions of the design data proximate the positions of the defects in each of the groups are at least similar. The method further includes storing results of the binning step in a storage medium.

Abstract: A board inspection device includes an irradiation device for irradiating light on a printed circuit board, a CCD camera for imaging the irradiated part of the circuit board. First image processing is performed for a first exposure time such that an inspection target region is free of brightness saturation, and second image processing is performed using a second exposure time corresponding to the insufficiency of the first exposure time relative to a certain exposure time appropriate for measurement of a measurement standard region. Thereafter, image data for three-dimensional measurement is prepared for the inspection target region using the value of image data obtained by the first image processing, and image data for three-dimensional measurement is prepared for the measurement standard region using a value obtained by summing the image data value acquired by the second image processing and the image data value acquired by the first image processing.

Abstract: A method for 3-dimensional vision inspection of objects, such as microelectronic components, which have protrusions as features to be inspected, such as input/output contact balls, is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of determining interior and exterior parameters of a stereo camera system, forming a rectified stereo camera system with a rectified camera coordinate system from the parameters of the stereo cameras determined above. A pair of images of the object having a plurality of co-planar protrusions on one surface is captured by the stereo cameras system and is transformed into the rectified coordinate system to form a pair of rectified images. Conjugate points of each protrusion are then determined in the rectified images for the measurement of its location, co-planarity and height. Various configurations of the apparatus for capturing the images and processing the image data are also disclosed.

Abstract: A solder print inspecting device includes three-dimensional measurement lighting unit that directs a specific light at a printed substrate, a CCD camera for imaging the printed substrate that is illuminated by the light, three-dimensional calculating unit that performs a three-dimensional measurement of cream solder based on image data, etc., and displaying unit that displays a three-dimensional image showing a three-dimensional shape of the cream solder, along with displaying an arrow image showing an operating direction of a squeegee in a solder printing machine, an arrow image showing a conveying direction of the printed substrate, etc.

Abstract: A plurality of assembly sheets are placed on an upper surface of a substrate adsorption platform, and a pressing plate is placed on the plurality of assembly sheets placed on the substrate adsorption platform such that the plurality of assembly sheets are pressed by the pressing plate. In this state, a DC power supply device is turned on and causes the upper surface of the substrate adsorption platform to be charged, thereby causing the plurality of assembly sheets to be adsorbed on the upper surface by an electrostatic force. Then, the pressing plate placed on the plurality of assembly sheets is removed while the upper surface of the substrate adsorption platform is charged, and automatic appearance inspection is performed on the plurality of assembly sheets adsorbed on the upper surface of the substrate adsorption platform.

Abstract: A method of inspecting a solder joint through which a lead of a semiconductor device is mounted on a printed circuit board is disclosed. The method includes setting an estimated solder joint region at an outside of an end of the lead of the semiconductor device, capturing an image of the estimated solder joint region, calculating a height of solder joint in the estimated solder joint region by using the captured image of the estimated solder joint region, and determining whether the solder joint is defective by comparing the height of the solder joint in the estimated solder joint region with a reference height of a solder joint, which is previously set. According to the method, reliability of inspection is enhanced regardless of environmental noises.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A disclosed identification method of identifying a data point distribution area on a coordinate plane includes dividing an area on the coordinate plane into divided areas so that the divided areas radiate from a division center point; selecting, in each of the divided areas, from among the data points in the divided area, a data point having the greatest distance from the division center point as a representative point; determining whether there is an overlapping area where a distribution representative point area overlaps a determination area; and determining, when there is the overlapping area, that the data group to be determined is a relevant data group.

Abstract: Comparing a sample image to a reference image. Differences between the color channel values of the pixels in the sample image and the corresponding color channel values for the corresponding pixels in the reference image are calculated and compared to predefined tolerances. Based on the comparisons, a pixel status for the pixels in the sample image is defined. An image status indicating whether the sample image differs from the reference image is defined based on the defined pixel status.

Abstract: In order to measure a measurement target on a PCB, height information of the PCB is acquired by using a first image photographed by illuminating a grating pattern light onto the PCB. Then, a first area protruding on the PCB by greater than a reference height is determined as the measurement target by using the height information. Thereafter, color information of the PCB is acquired by using a second image photographed by illuminating light onto the PCB. Then, the first color information of the first area determined as the measurement target out of the color information of the PCB is set as reference color information. Thereafter, the reference color information is compared with color information of an area except for the first area to judge whether the measurement target is formed in the area except for the first area. Thus, the measurement target may be accurately measured.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a line information reception unit, a line extraction unit, an inversion unit and a determination unit. The line information reception unit receives a set of information indicating (i) information on an image having a possibly of being a line and (ii) line elements being a rectangular pixel lump which constitutes a line. The line extraction unit extracts a line by tracing from a first start point to an end point of the line, based on the received information indicating the line elements and a tracing direction of the line. The inversion unit inverts the tracing direction of the line, sets the extracted end point of the line as a second start point and sends the second start point and the inverted tracing direction to the line extraction unit. The determination unit determines whether or not to cause the inversion unit to perform a process.

Abstract: A system and method for high-speed alignment of components is provided. During training time of a machine vision system, a small subset of alignment significant blobs along with a quantum of geometric analysis for picking granularity is determined. By utilizing only the alignment significant blobs and the geometric analysis, the use of conventional alignment techniques may achieve significantly better speed and robustness for component alignment. In operation, during training time, grayscale blobs are extracted using a scale space search. Alignment significant blobs are then determined from the grayscale blobs. Once alignment significant blobs are determined, run time smoothing and down sampling are then determined on the alignment significant blobs. The machine vision system is then trained to operate with the alignment significant regions.

Abstract: Various methods, carrier media, and systems for monitoring a characteristic of a specimen are provided. One computer-implemented method for monitoring a characteristic of a specimen includes determining a property of individual pixels on the specimen using output generated by inspecting the specimen with an inspection system. The method also includes determining a characteristic of individual regions on the specimen using the properties of the individual pixels in the individual regions. The method further includes monitoring the characteristic of the specimen based on the characteristics of the individual regions.

Abstract: A burr detection apparatus includes an imaging unit and a detection unit. The imaging unit captures an original image of a stencil. The original comprises black and white pixels. The detection includes a CPU and a memory. The CPU includes an extracting module, a deciding module, a counting module, and a comparing module. The extracting module obtains a matrix image with N*N pixels, wherein N is an odd number. The deciding module decides whether the center pixel of the matrix image is a black pixel. The counting module obtains a black pixel total counted among marginal pixels which position in the margin of the matrix image in a predetermined rule. The comparing module compares the black pixel total with a predetermined threshold number, and determines that the part of the stencil corresponding to the matrix image has a burr when the black pixel total is less than the threshold number.

Abstract: When a detection-target subject is imaged with an image pickup device having line-defect pixels, the detection-target subject is imaged, with the image pickup device or the detection-target subject rotated at a predetermined angle so that the edge of one side of the detection-target subject is not parallel to each of horizontal and vertical scanning lines of the image pickup device, and a gray-scale image is captured by a control apparatus. In the gray-scale image, the luminance of each of the line-defect pixels is corrected by interpolation with luminances of pixels adjacent to both sides of the line-defect pixel. The gray-scale image is subjected to sub-pixel processing to detect the edge of the detection-target subject. When the detection-target subject is a component in a rectangular shape, rotation is made so that four sides are not parallel to each of the horizontal and vertical scanning lines of the image pickup device.

Abstract: A system and method for performing spatial signature analysis, the system including a memory unit for storing wafer defect density maps of multiple resolutions, derived from a defect map obtained by an inspection tool; an analyzer for analyzing the wafer defect density maps to identify zones of interest; and a spatial signature generator for generating spatial signatures in response to relations between zones of interest of different density resolution.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a joint inspection apparatus for judging whether an electronic component mounted on a board is appropriately soldered to the board capable of increasing accuracy in judging a state of a joint by combining at least two joint features with each other and capable of allowing a user to intuitively and easily change a reference for judging the state of the joint. The joint inspection apparatus includes: a three-dimensional shape measuring device measuring joint features; a classifying device judging a state of a joint by at least two joint features transmitted by the three-dimensional shape measuring device; and a user interface device displaying the state of the joint, wherein the state of the joint is displayed in a joint space graph in which a user may easily adjust a judgment reference.

Abstract: A data memory storing Gerber data containing closed area information of a work; a display displaying a pattern image based on the closed area information of the Gerber data; a detection specification information display program displaying on the display a detection tool specifying a location of edge to be detected, a detection direction and detection length, by superimposing on the pattern image; an image capturing program and an image capturer capturing an image of an area corresponding to the detection tool of the work; an edge detection program performing an edge detection of the location of the edge to be detected with respect to data of a captured image; and a condition determination program determining a light-dark change condition indicating whether an image is changing from a light section to a dark section or from a dark section to a light section along a detection direction.

Abstract: A color-unevenness inspection apparatus includes: an image pickup section picking up an image of an inspection target for a color-unevenness inspection; an image generation section generating an uneven-color image by determining one or more uneven-color regions existing in the picked-up image of the inspection target obtained by the image pickup section, and by classifying unit regions included in each of the uneven-color regions into a plurality of color groups; a calculation section calculating, on the uneven-color regions in the uneven-color image, an evaluation parameter to be used in the color-unevenness inspection; a correction section making a correction to the calculated evaluation parameter in consideration of a difference of color-unevenness visibility between the color groups; and an inspection section performing the color-unevenness inspection, based on a resultant evaluation parameter obtained by the correction.

Abstract: Performing an inspection based on a shape of a solder fillet and setting a standard of the inspection. In order to set the standard of the inspection by a method for determining whether the solder fillet of a component mounted on a board is proper by obtaining a calculation of a numerical parameter indicating a three-dimensional shape of the solder fillet, a setting screen including an image display region indicating an image of a component of a setting target and an inspection standard list is displayed to receive a user manipulation. A list in which an item name of each of plural inspection items is correlated with an input field of a standard value of a numerical parameter measured by the inspection item is displayed in the inspection standard list.

Abstract: With regard to a target (board) to which an automatic appearance inspection is completed, an image used in the inspection is stored, measurement data obtained by measurement processing in the inspection is stored in association with positional information of a measurement target region, and by using these pieces of stored information, an image for assisting an operation of visually checking an actual state of a specific inspection target region is displayed. This image corresponds to an area equivalent to a part of the board, and includes the checking target component. For the checking target component in the image, marking by a frame UW and lines L1 and L2 is implemented. Moreover, feature regions which are visually recognizable and have intrinsic features are extracted so as to surround a periphery of the checking target component.

Abstract: A system and method for high-speed alignment and inspection of components, such as BGA devices, having non-uniform features is provided. During training time of a machine vision system, a small subset of alignment significant blobs along with a quantum of geometric analysis for picking granularity is determined. Also, during training time, balls may be associated with groups, each of which may have its own set of parameters for inspection.

Abstract: This invention facilitates monitoring operation for checking whether or not quality of a substrate deteriorates as well as operation for identifying a cause of deterioration in quality. Identification information of constituent elements related to measurement target sections (pads) on a component-mounted substrate is arranged into hierarchal structure data. A first axis is arranged with the measurement target sections associated with this arrangement. A second axis is arranged with information (identification information of lots and squeegees) representing production conditions of the substrates according to an order of the substrates being processed. A two-dimensional area defined by the first axis and the second axis is set. A color map is generated, in which measured data of the measurement target sections on the substrates are arranged in colors at corresponding positions within the two-dimensional area.

Abstract: An improved method of high accuracy beam placement for local area navigation in the field of semiconductor chip manufacturing. This invention demonstrates a method where high accuracy navigation to the site of interest within a relatively large local area (e.g. an area 200 ?m×200 ?m) is possible even where the stage/navigation system is not normally capable of such high accuracy navigation. The combination of large area, high-resolution scanning, digital zoom and registration of the image to an idealized coordinate system enables navigation around a local area without relying on stage movements. Once the image is acquired any sample or beam drift will not affect the alignment. Preferred embodiments thus allow accurate navigation to a site on a sample with sub-100 nm accuracy, even without a high-accuracy stage/navigation system.

Abstract: A substrate surface detection unit performs image analysis of cross-sectional images of an object to be inspected including a substrate and an electronic component and specifies a surface image on which the surface of the substrate is photographed. A pseudo cross-sectional image creation unit specifies a region of the solder for joining the substrate and the electronic component, the solder being photographed on the cross-sectional images, and creates a pseudo cross-sectional image in which an imaged region is made to have a thickness in a pseudo manner by piling up the cross-sectional images on which the solder is photographed. An inspection unit estimates whether the joint state of the solder is good or bad by performing image analysis on the region of the solder photographed on the surface image and the pseudo cross-sectional image.

Abstract: A process control method and data registration program for a surface mount line includes retrieving printing quality data, mounting quality data, and soldering pass/fail data from a primary recorder, recording the printing quality data, the mounting quality data, and the soldering pass/fail data for each of the components in a secondary recorder, and determining whether the solder printer and the mounter need adjustment by using the data of the components which are associated with the soldering pass/fail data recorded in the secondary recorder by a computer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically inspecting and repairing printed circuit boards includes an inspection functionality automatically inspecting printed circuit boards and providing a machine readable indication of regions thereon requiring repair. An automatic repair functionality employs the machine readable indication to repair the printed circuit boards at some of the regions thereon requiring repair. An automatic repair reformulation functionality automatically reinspects the printed circuit boards following an initial automatic repair operation, and provides to the automatic repair functionality a reformulated machine readable indication of regions thereon requiring repair.

Abstract: A method for processing the image data of the surface of a wafer (2) recorded by at least one camera (5) is disclosed, wherein an image field (15) is defined for each camera (5) in such a way that the recorded image content is repeated after N recorded images. In an evaluation electronics (18) M utility programs (19) are determined, wherein M is equal to the number of recorded images after which the image content is repeated. The number M of utility programs (19) is adapted to the number N of images. Each of the M utility programs (19) of the plurality of recorded images is only fed with images having the same image contents in order to detect defects on the basis of the image contents of the images of the surface of the wafer. The results of the M utility programs (19) are respectively forwarded to a central program (20) in a sequential manner, which compiles a distribution of the defects present on the surface of the wafer (2) from the individual results of the M utility programs (19).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for analyzing a group of at least two masks for photolithography, wherein each of the masks comprises a substructure of a total structure, which is to be introduced in a layer of the wafer in the lithographic process, and the total structure is introduced in the layer of the wafer by introducing the substructures in sequence. In this method, a first aerial image of a first one of the at least two masks is recorded, digitized and stored in a data structure. Then, a second aerial image of a second one of the at least two masks is recorded, digitized and stored in a data structure. A combination image is generated from the data of the first and second aerial images, which combination image is represented and/or evaluated.

Abstract: A system and method for performing spatial signature analysis, the system including a memory unit for storing wafer defect density maps of multiple resolutions, derived from a defect map obtained by an inspection tool; an analyzer for analyzing the wafer defect density maps to identify zones of interest; and a spatial signature generator for generating spatial signatures in response to relations between zones of interest of different density resolution.