The use of automated optical testing (AOT) in statistical process control (SPC) for printed circuit board (PCB) production

Statistical process control is a powerful tool for understanding changes taking place during the manufacture of a printed circuit board. It can be used to raise the product quality and enable trend spotting, as well as leading to overall reduction of product costs and lead times. In this paper, the links between the more traditional methods of inspection and test, and how they have given birth via the conventional automatic optical inspection, to the more sophisticated and state‐of‐the‐art automatic optical testing are explored.