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www.us-tech.com


June, 2018


Improving Inventory Accuracy with X-Ray Component Counting


By Don Naugler, General Manager, VJ Electronix, Inc. I


n a dynamic SMT line with fre- quent changeovers, it is vital to maintain accurate inventory. To


keep track of components, they must be counted each time they are returned to stock. Many pick-and-place systems


will track and report component usage, including mis-picks. However, errors will still exist, such as losses when loading and unloading feeders, or the more-than-occasional use of short pieces of tape for rework and R&D.


The common method for verify-


ing component count in reels is man- ual, reel-to-reel counters. To use these counters, the operator must load the reel, feed the tape into the


X-ray counting uses transmission X-ray to present an image where individual components are easy to see and the tape and reel are effectively hidden.


counting mechanism and insert the lead end of the tape into a take-up reel.


The operator must carefully


count the number of components between the lead and count mecha- nism, because these will not be included once the counting process is started. The operator must also set the tape pocket pitch. These are both opportunities for error.


nents, as well as ESD hazards and exposure to moisture.


X-Ray Component Counting X-ray-based component coun-


ters substantially reduce counting time and can improve counting accu-


individual components are easy to see and the tape and the reel are effectively hidden. Computerized algorithms are applied to recognize the components and to determine their number. In most cases, these algorithms


rely on predefined parameters that help them to separate individual components from the background and from adjacent components. Smaller components can be particu- larly difficult as the component size approaches the resolution limit of the X-ray system. At the other extreme, wide com-


ponents also are difficult, due to a parallax effect where X-ray is trans- mitted at a greater angle toward the outer circumference of larger reels. This parallax causes the image of one tall component to overlap the image of an adjacent component, making the two images difficult to separate.


XQuik II with AccuCount software. The tape is then fed onto the


take-up reel to complete the count. At the end of the process, the tape must be fed back onto the original reel. This entire process takes sever- al minutes. The amount of handling increases the risk of more lost compo-


racy. Their simplified operation also reduces handling risks. Many sys- tems allow counting to take place inside of moisture and ESD barrier bags.


X-ray counting uses transmis- sion X-ray to present an image where


The XQuik II Solution The VJ Electronix XQuik II


addresses these challenges with spe- cial imaging techniques and advanced counting algorithms. VJE’s imaging offers very high resolution for count- ing. The XQuik detector uses a line scan, producing an image with a


Continued on next page


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