Blundell Blog

The “Extra Eye” is a First Article Inspection system used to verify printed circuit boards after assembly to ensure that all parts have been correctly assembled.

It is ideally suited to prototype and small batch runs where 100% inspection is necessary. AOI (Automatic Optical Inspection) systems do a similar job but they are more expensive, and you cannot guarantee 100% inspection using AOI.

Extra Eye programming is very quick and simple. The PCB is scanned and typically it takes around 5 minutes for data input and to produce a working program. It allows you to compare each placed part against the drawing reference. All that is needed is a drawing of the PCB and the Bill of Materials (component list), the Extra Eye will do the rest. Payback is very fast based on customer experience.

For more information cantact Keith Gummer on 07770 615405 or Paul Cooper on 07880 546380, or email sales@blundell.co.uk.

Reasons to clean printed circuit boards are as follows: (1) Reliability - cleaning removes all contaminants and prevents corrosion (2) For conformal coating - if the PCB is to be coated, all residues of flux need to be removed to prevent unseen corrosion taking place under the coating (3) for in-circuit testing, some test jigs with pins that contact the leads are affected by flux residues and form a bad connection if the PCB is not cleaned (4) for military, aerospace and high reliability applications cleaning is compulsory and is demanded by the end user.

The Blundell System 1000 and 2000 are aqueous PCB cleaning machines which are ideal for removing flux residues and general contamination from PCB’s. They are compact and well priced. Please contact us for details.

Call Keith Gummer on 07770 615405 or Paul Cooper on 07880 546380 for more information or email us at sales@blundell.co.uk

PVA has added an active fiducial camera to their full range of selective conformal coating spray application machines. The new camera system enhances the positional accuracy of the PCB by aligning it against a fixed reference point on each board. Each coating cycle is corrected automatically to adjust for any misalignment.

The new camera also allows for automatic pattern verification, so the sprayed PCB can be automatically checked by the machine after the coating operation is completed. This is done by having a black UV light inside the machine. The camera scans the board to detect the coating pattern which flouresces under the UV light.

For more information on PVA conformal coating robots call Paul or Neil Blundell on 02476 210270 or email us at sales@blundell.co.uk.

I am very pleased to announce that we have been successful in tendering for three important items of equipment for the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC). The MTC is a collaborative partnership between industry, universities and research and technology organisations. The MTC was formed in response to the Government’s manufacturing strategy: ”New Challenges, New Opportunities” published in September 2008.  

Funding for the capital equipment for MTC came from Advantage West Midlands (AWM) and East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA). The equipment to be supplied by us at Blundell is a Dage XD7500NT X-Ray machine, an Ersa Hotflow 3/20 convection reflow oven and an IBL VAC645i in line vapour phase soldering plant.

For more information please contact Paul or Neil Blundell on 02476 210270.