Automatic Pcb Defect Detection Using Image Subtraction Method

A printed circuit board, or (PCB) is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, track or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto anon conductive substrate. The automatic inspection of PCBs serves a purpose which is traditional in computer technology. The purpose is to relieve human inspectors of the tedious and inefficient task of looking for those defects in PCBs which could lead to electric failure. In this project Machine Vision PCB Inspection System is applied at the first step of manufacturing, i.e., the making of bare PCB. We first compare a PCB standard image with a PCB image, using a simple subtraction algorithm that can highlight the main problem-regions. We have also seen the effect of noise in a PCB image that at what level this method is suitable to detect the faulty image. Our focus is to detect defects on printed circuit boards & to see the effect of noise. Typical defects that can be detected are over etchings (opens), under-etchings (shorts), holes etc. Index terms – Machine vision, PCB defects, Image Subtraction Algorithm, PCB Inspection