Computerized systems for industrial inspection of simple forms or limited variables have been wide spread. However, the automated inspection of complex patterns is still limited. This paper describes an in-process inspection system for the thick film screen printing process where high density complex signal patterns are printed on ceramic substrate. The cost of the process necessitates a high production yield. The quality requirement is stringent, and the alternative, manual inspection, is both inefficient and ineffective. Using existing digitizing tube technology coupled with a mini computer, the system scans and detects defects based on programmable parameters. The computer controlled stage transport allows full coverage of the object under inspection. An algorithm is developed to automatically align the object and the master images. The system represents a successful application of imaging technolopy to industrial inspection of complex and noisy pat-terns. It is fully automated and human engineered such that an operator with a minimum of skills and train-ing can operate a cluster of up to three systems, The high depree of confidence in its inspection efficiency and the throughput rate render the system a viable industrial inspection tool.

Date Published: 15 September 1978
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 0143, Applications of Electronic Imaging Systems, (15 September 1978); doi: 10.1117/12.956563

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 0143:
Applications of Electronic Imaging Systems
Richard E. Franseen; Dieter K. Schroder, Editor(s)