The Spectrum Logic 1615HE is one of the latest products we have developed for AXI (automated X-ray inspection), for quality control and non-destructive testing.
What is AXI?
Automated X-ray inspection (AXI) is an industrial inspection method similar to automated optical inspection (AOI). AOI uses visible light, while AXI uses X-rays. Both systems automatically check products such as printed circuit boards (PCBs), for defects during manufacturing, but AXI can see hidden faults that AOI cannot.
A good example is mobile phone production and inline AXI inspection of the battery modules before final assembly. Modern phone batteries are tightly packed units with internal welds, tabs and protective layers that are not visible from the outside. AXI can check these internal structures at full line speed.
Mobile phone battery X-ray
AXI can spot:
• Poor weld quality on internal nickel or aluminium tabs
• Misaligned electrode stacks
• Voids or cracks in the jelly-roll core
• Deformation caused by over-pressure during assembly
• Foreign material trapped inside the cell
• Early signs of swelling
Catching these problems inline stops defective batteries from reaching later stages such as sealing, integration into the phone frame or final electrical test. This reduces risk, boosts yield and gives process engineers early feedback on welding, stacking and lamination steps.
The Mobile phone battery inspection is a strong fit for AXI because the defects are hidden and the throughput requirements are high.
AXI is used both to flag defective parts for scrap or repair and to improve the production process by revealing the root causes of faults. Electrical testing may find an open circuit, but AXI can show why it happened.
Both AOI and AXI are widely used inline for mobile batteries, PCBs, power modules, connectors and semiconductor advanced packaging components.
Inline AXI inspects every part, so high throughput, strong image quality and reliability are essential. Modern systems often use 3D computed tomography (CT) or limited-angle CT (tomosynthesis) because these methods reveal overlapping structures clearly.
3D CT of a mobile phone
What are the requirements for manufacturers when inspecting advanced semiconductor packaging?
To achieve 100% inspection - X-ray inspection system requires high X-ray flux, high-speed, high-resolution detectors and large active areas for bigger components. Spectrum Logic’s CMOS X-ray detectors are a perfect fit. They offer high frame rates, excellent spatial resolution, shielding and a radiation-hard design. The table below shows our CMOS X-ray detectors most suitable for AXI:
Where does the 1615HE fit into our product portfolio? What problem is it solving for the customer?
1615HE is a high-speed yet cost effective product that offers a balance between resolution and sensitivity. It promises to meet the high bandwidth requirements for in-line inspection of electronics and semiconductors.
The Spectrum Logic 1615HE is a dynamic X-ray detector designed specifically for electronics inspection, industrial NDT and scientific applications, with a pixel pitch of 75 μm and high efficiency CsI scintillator options. It is well suited to real-time/Inline CT and AXI.
“The 75µm pixel offers the perfect balance between efficiency and resolution and will be a valuable addition to our product portfolio”.
Ed Bullard Chairman
The 1615HE addresses customers’ requirements and with a frame rate of 80 fps, this detector provides a real advantage for inline electronics inspection of components like mobile phone batteries and PCBs. The 1615HE enclosure is optimised for AXI, by having a small space between the active area and the exterior housing, on all four sides. This design reduces the size of the detector housing and allows a larger range of angles to be used for laminography. The 1615HE has integrated shielding, within the detector, and the newly designed enclosure requires no external shielding for planar CT applications in which the X-ray cone beam can be at a wide angle to the detector. This ensures excellent protection against radiation damage to the image sensor array and detector electronics which improves the detector’s lifetime.
1615HE internal shielding
Find out more here about the efficiency of our detectors for inline electronics inspection here:
“The efficiency, speed and long lifetime of our detectors make them the perfect option for inline electronics inspection.”
— Asmar Khan, General Manager at Spectrum Logic.
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