Mek's AOI technology to be showcased at SMT/Hybrid/Packaging

The Mek team will be on hand with distributors SmartRep and SMT House and SmartBox partners Haprotec and Ersa to host live demonstrations of its AOI capability across a very wide range of applications and budgets. At the SMT House booth visitors can witness the new Mek ISO-Spector, an AOI system of 'true measurement' for the full across-the-board inspection of components and solder joints. Unlike other methods of height measurement, ISO-Spector technology enables inspection of heights up to 30 mm (1.2"), and as a result of high shutter speeds is practically immune to vibrations from nearby placement machines ensuring there are no repeatability issues in actual production environments. It is able to inspect the world’s smallest chip size of 008004 (50% of 01005") and features a full profile simultaneous 2D and 3D inspection while maintaining high inspection speed using patented sensor technology.

Mek’s new PowerSpector GTAz, the latest generation of their flagship machine, will be featured on the SmartRep booth. The GTAz is the most advanced optical head in the company’s extensive product lineup, offering unique 3D Stereoscopic imaging. Using all 9 cameras and the addition of a 4th LED white light with full colour allows the ability to actually see the side of components rather than extruded 2D images. The PowerSpector GTAz thus provides a perfect combination of 3D and 2D inspection, with height, tilt and coplanarity measurement. It reliably inspects SMT and THT component bodies for presence/absence, type, polarity, offset, text, colours etc. and components’ solder fillets for excessive, insufficient or no solder, shorts, and lifted leads. Combined with Catch yield enhancement software, Mek PowerSpector AOI is a completely closed loop, powerful process monitoring and quality control tool.

SmartRep will also be exhibiting Mek’s desktop iSpector. Ideal for companies with a smaller budget the new iSpector is an entry level machine for manufacturers requiring high-quality AOI and a low price tag. Delivering rapid, repeatable inspection process at an affordable cost, it’s a plug-and-play installation readily operated with iMentor online training and is exceptionally easy-to-program. Among the other product highlights at the show is the SpectorBOX “Bottom-Up / Top-Down” Modular AOI system uniquely engineered to accommodate solder frames on return and/or feed conveyors. SpectorBOX offers bottom side, top side or simultaneous dual side inspection, deploying up to 18 cameras, Z axis positioning and auto-focus. Optimized for the inspection of THT components to identify defects such as presence/absence, wrong polarity, colour, type, and bent pins, now, the unique top clearance of 130mm (5.12”) allows the Top Down SpectorBOX to inspect virtually any completed electronic and electro-mechanical assembly -- even when the tallest of components are present.