Abstract
Purpose: Automatic Optical Inspection (AOI) systems, used in electronics industry have been primarily developed to inspect soldering defects of Surface Mount Devices (SMD) on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). However, no commercially available AOI system exists that can be integrated to a desktop soldering robotic system, which is capable of identifying soldering defects of Through Hole Technology (THT) solder joints along with the soldering process. In our research, we have implemented an AOI platform that is capable of performing automatic quality assurance of THT solder joints in a much efficient way. In this paper, we have presented a novel approach to identify soldering defects of THT solder joints, based on the location of THT component lead top. This paper presents the methodologies that can be used to precisely identify and localize THT component lead inside a solder joint. Design/methodology/approach: We have discussed the importance of lead top localization and presented a detailed description on the methodologies that can be used to precisely segment and localize THT lead top inside the solder joint. Findings: It could be observed that the precise localization of THT lead top makes the soldering quality assurance process more accurate. A combination of template matching algorithms and colour model transformation provide the most accurate outcome in localizing the component lead top inside solder joint, according to the analysis carried out in this paper. Research limitations/implications: When the component lead top is fully covered by the soldering, the implemented methodologies will not be able to identify the actual location of it. In such a case, if the segmented and detected lead top locations are different, a decision is made based on the direction in which the solder iron tip touches the solder pad. Practical implications: The methodologies presented in this paper can be effectively used to have a precise localization of component lead top inside the solder joint. The precise identification of component lead top leads to have a very precise quality assurance capability to the implemented AOI system. Originality/value: This research proposes a novel approach to identify soldering defects of THT solder joints in a much efficient way based on the component lead top. The value of this paper is quite high, since we have taken all the possibilities that may appear on a solder joint in a practical environment.
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