X-Ray Provides a Picture of Imperfection A couple of months ago Circuit Technology Center had the good fortune to obtain a Dage 7500 X-Ray machine. For years we had been using a 2D (two dimensional viewing; x and y) machine that has been an absolutely reliable workhorse. Since we loved our old machine, we didn't immediately recognize what the Dage (or any other the new generation of 2D x-ray machines) could do for us, but when we saw how it performed, well, all I can say is, "What an eye opener!"
The Dage 7500 is one of the new breed of 2D machines that can rotate the beam receiving head up to 70 degrees from perpendicular making the Dage more like a 2 and a half D machine. Take a look at the following images. Figure 1 is from the old 2D machine and Figure 2 is from the Dage.In both figures one can note a sizable void in the ball, but in the new machine we can get a better view of the characteristics of the void; its size, location and scope. In Figure 3, I tilted the board in the older machine to see if I could duplicate the view of the Dage and as you can see, it doesn't come close.
The angling of the head in the Dage provides perspective on the ball and void that is just not available in the older machine. Additionally it is hard not to notice the clarity of the image which is part of the reason we are able to magnify the image without distortion Frequently customers ask us to take a backed off x-ray shot a BGA component just to have a record of the component appearance post-assembly. In Figure 4 you can see the distortion at the edges of a 42.5 MM component in the picture taken with the old machine. On the other hand, as you can see in Figure 5, the component maintains its form in the photo. Further, in practice, the Dage pictures maintain their clarity when the customer zooms in to examine specific features.
Another nice feature of the new machine is the ease of measurement. On the old machine, a somewhat laborious calibration was required prior to accurate measurement. On the Dage, it's measure at will. In the case of the void we focused on earlier, you can get a quick view of the size of this void relative to the size of the overall ball in a heartbeat. See FIgure 6.
Several members of the Circuit Technology Center team contributed to this feature story. |
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Circuit Technology Center, Inc.