Agnospcb Inspection software 5: User manual

Inspection tool software USER GUIDE v5.x

The AgnosPCB Inspection software has been created to facilitate the integrity analysis of your PCBAs. The main features are:

Auto-mapping/alignment : The tool will rotate, stretch and align the photos of the circuit /panels to be inspected, facilitating the visual comparison
Auto-crop: a secondary neural network will detect the boundaries of the PCBA/panel and crop the surrounding image.
Sensitivity: this button, will let you increase the sensitivity of the AOI system.
Magnification areas: detailed view of every element of the PCBAs. Adjustable with the mouse’s wheel.
Custom color masks: Highlight the faults, no matter the color of the PCBA. Three colors available: red, green and blue.
Auto-signalling: yellow crosses will mark the exact location of the faults detected.
Auto Analyse: A fast way to inspect your PCBAs, with just one click, the software will do everything.

Depending on the system / Kit you have, there are two different options. Both systems use the same inspection software, but the user interface is slightly different:

1) Use the Windows OS version of the inspection tool software on your own computer / laptop.

2) If you got any inspection platform from us, the inspection tool software is already installed in the processing unit.

Pick an option below:

Select an option above, the link will lead you to the correct section.

Using your PC : installation process

PC System recommended Requirements

OS:Windows 10 (64-bit)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-7600 or better / Ryzen 5 2500U or better
RAM:16GB of system memory

Internet connection

Fiber internet service: 100-1000Mbps*

The processing time is highly dependent on the transmission speed of the internet connection. The faster the speed, the faster the inspection. Wired connection to the router is highly recommended.

To install it, download the software, clicking on the button above.

*Installer only available for Windows OS systems.

After installing the software, you will find several subfolder inside \Programs\AgnosPCB\

FOLDERs use:

REFERENCE: the suggested location of the GOLDEN SAMPLES / REFERENCES images of the PCBAs
PCB_IN: the inspection tool will look for new images of the circuit to be inspected inside this folder. If you are not using our inspection platform, you have to set this folder as the default destination for the photographs taken (check image below to see how to do it)
PCB_OUT: the destination folder of all the inspection results images.
REPORTS: this folder contains all the REPORTs created by the AOI system operator. Only created with the OFFLINE AOI systems.

AgnosPCB inspection tool: User interface elements

Upon launching the AgnosPCB inspection tool software, the user interface will appear. It has different panels and inspection areas:

Control buttons: all the actions related to the insepction process are triggered here. Take a photo of a REFERENCE PCBA/panel, create an exclusion area….
Log box: provides useful information (and tips) about the inspection process.
REFERENCE Magnification area (green) : The “golden sample” image. The mouse´s cursor dictates what can be seen here.
UNIT UNDER INSPECTION Magnification area (orange): this is the image of the panel to be inspected.

CONTROL BUTTONS

Place the cursor over the ICON to know what the do

Start the inspection process (if the AUTO-PROCESS is not ENABLED)

Open the MOSAIC load windows. It allows you to quick load any REFERENCE image previously stored. Quick load the slot with F1...F8

Opens a REFERENCE image from the /REFERENCE folder

Takes a photo of what will be a REFENCE PCB/Panel. shortcut: R

Opens a UUI image from the any folder

Takes a photo of a Unit Under Inspecton PCBA/Panel. Shortcut: S

Creates an "exclusion area" where the system will not look for faults. You can create as many areas as required. All of them will be saved with the REFERENCE

Erase an "exclusion area" if you click on it.

Change the system sensitivity (NORMAL/HIGH/VERY HIGH). Set back to normal, automatically after carrying out a new insepction. Shortcut: 1, 2 ,3 keys

Every photo taken (of a UUI) will be automatically processed if enabled

This button will get you to this USER GUIDE

Settings: You can change some parameters here. Listed below

Swap REFERENCE and UUI images. Shortcut: TAB

SETTINGS SUBMENU OPTIONS

Auto-signalling: Enabling this feature, a yellow cross will be displayed on top of the faults detected. Not visible in the magnification areas. ON by default.

Auto Analyse: if activated, the next photo taken will be automatically processed. That means that the image will be analysed for faults right after being taken.

Faults Mask-colors: Once the analysis of the panel/circuit has been carried out, the results will be shown as a new mask on top of the image. If faults have been detected, they will be highlighted in red/blue or green. Depending on the PCBA´s color / material you are working with, you may need to change the opacity and color of the mask in order to easily see where those faults are. Select the color that suits you best. By default: red

IMPORTANT: HOW REPORT TOOL WORKS

If you get a false positive or a fault not properly detected (bad boundaries…), you can report it. It is very important for us to get this information, as the neural network will learn from its mistakes. If you find a reflection on a surface marked as fault, a not perfectly indicated issue or any other matter you want us to review, just report it pressing the UP arrow key after placing the mouse’s cursor on top of it. It will take less than a second and will let the software improves its detection capacities to your particular manufacturing process.

STARTING THE INSPECTION PROCESS

1) Signing-up + Inspecting your first PCBAs

You need an account user ID and password to use the AgnosPCB Inspection tool. You can get one for free to test the service capabilities.

Populate the USER and PASSWORD fields with your details and click on SUBMIT. Your login info will be stored (encrypted) so you do no have to input them again.

The AgnosPCB Inspection tool software will “compare” the photograph of your REFERENCE PCBA/panel (“golden sample”) with all the photos you will take of the circuit to be inspected (photos to “ANALYZE“)

All the faults found on the inspected circuit/panel will be highlighted (if any).

To set the REFERENCE, click on the ICON “LOAD” and select the desired photo, or press the key R, to command the camera to take a photo of what will be the REFERENCE circuit/panel.

If you are using the Agnospcb microcomputer, you can create a REFERENCE image just pressing the ACTION button for 4 seconds. That will take a photo of what will be the “REFERENCE” circuit/panel.

The software will ask you if you want to store that photo in any of the 8 slots available in the MOSAIC.

The REFERENCE photo will remain as GOLDEN SAMPLE as long as you do not change it for another one. After signing-in, the software will automatically retrieve the last REFERENCE photograph used.

You can easily load any previously stored REFERENCE image using the keys F1 to F8.

Now, take a photo of the circuit you want to “ANALYZE“:

If you got the AgnosPCB inspection platform with the microcomputer, you just need to push the ACTION BUTTON for a second. If the “AUTO-ANALYZE” enabled, the software will automatically process the image, otherwise, press “PROCESS IMAGE”.

software user guide (Linux)

Internet connection: minimum requirements *NOT REQUIRED FOR THE OFFLINE units

Wired internet connection or Fiber internet service speed: 100-1000Mbps*

The INTEL NUC/ OFFLINE unit will be in charge of controlling the camera, adjusting the optical parameters to get the best possible image of the circuit/ panel to be inspected.

Inspection button: Pressing this button, you can trigger the important events of the inspection process: set a REFERENCE image or START the inspection process, taking a new photograph.

NOTE: you need to connect your Intel NUC to your internet network. To do that, click on the NETWORK icon shown below, pick the right network and type the password.

*NOT REQUIRED FOR THE OFFLINE units

You can launch the AgnosPCB inspection tool double-clicking on its Desktop´s shortcut.

The user interface has these panels and inspection windows:

Control buttons: all the actions related to the insepction process are triggered here. Take a photo of a REFERENCE PCBA/panel, create an exclusion area….
Log box: provides useful information (and tips) about the inspection process.
REFERENCE Magnification area (green) : The “golden sample” image. The mouse´s cursor dictates what can be seen here.
UNIT UNDER INSPECTION Magnification area (orange): this is the image of the panel to be inspected.

CONTROL PANEL BUTTONS

Start the inspection process (if the AUTO-PROCESS is not ENABLED)

Open the MOSAIC load windows. It allows you to quick load any REFERENCE image previously stored. Quick load the slot with F1...F8

Opens a REFERENCE image from the /REFERENCE folder

Takes a photo of what will be a REFENCE PCB/Panel. shortcut: R

Opens a UUI image from the any folder

Takes a photo of a Unit Under Inspecton PCBA/Panel. Shortcut: S

Creates an "exclusion area" where the system will not look for faults. You can create as many areas as required. All of them will be saved with the REFERENCE

Erase an "exclusion area" if you click on it.

Change the system sensitivity (NORMAL/HIGH/VERY HIGH). Set back to normal, automatically after carrying out a new insepction. Shortcut: 1, 2 ,3 keys

Every photo taken (of a UUI) will be automatically processed if enabled

This button will get you to this USER GUIDE

Settings: You can change some parameters here. Listed below

Swap REFERENCE and UUI images. Shortcut: TAB

LOG BOX

The log box will display inspection messages while you carry out inspections: warning, error o info messages. At the same time, the neural network version will be indicated here.

The INSPECTION button

The Inspection button will let you take the best possible photos of your circuits / panels, just pressing it. It will quickly start the process of configuring the camera with the best parameters, take the photo and trigger the inspection process.

This button can be used for:

1) SET a REFERENCE image: PRESS it for 4 seconds (until you hear the camera shooting). The AOI software will use that image as REFERENCE.

2) INITIALIZE the inspection process: Just press it for a second and the camera will capture an image of the circuit / panel to be analyzed. Alternatively, you can click, with the mouse, on the INSPECTION BUTTON (icon below) on the user interface to do the same (only is AUTO PROCESSING IS NOT ENABLED. OTHERWISE this icon will be disabled)

NOTE: if the AUTO ANALYZE button (icon below) has been previously activated, every time you press the INSPECTION button (or the S key) for a second, the image will be inspected automatically. This will help you to reduce the inspection total processing time.

INSPECTION PROCESS

A video always helps at this point. The sequence you need to follow to start the inspection process will be this:

Turn on the LED Panels using the remote control (ON button). You can adjust the brightness with the UP and DOWN arrows. Set it to about 80% of its maximum brightness for daylight working conditions.
Turn on the Sony camera: Previously connected to the microcomputer and with the battery dummy already inserted.
Switch on the Intel NUC. It will check if the camera is OK, sending a set of commands that will prepare the camera for the inspection process.
Wait for the system to boot. You will see in your monitor how the OS starts. Launch the inspection tool, click on its desktop´s icon.
Insert your user credentials and click on SUBMIT. If there was a previous REFERENCE image, it will be loaded.
Start your inspection process.

NOTE: make use of the REPORT feature. That will dramatically improve the recognition capacity of the system in the long run.

Troubleshooting

Software:

How do I update the software for my Intel NUC?

Get to this page and follow instructions: how to update/ restore the AgnosPCB OS (Intel NUC)

I am getting “time-out” errors when inspecting my circuits. How do I solve it?

The Agnospcb inspection software needs a fast and reliable internet connection, as some areas of the photos taken will be sent to our neural network server. That means that, an internet wired connection or Fiber internet service (100-1000Mbps) is mandatory. Otherwise, the software will take over 10 seconds to process one inspection and the “time-out” error message will appear. If you require an “off-line” solution, contact us.

The camera does not respond

Check if the battery dummy is connected to the correct USB power supply, capable of delivering 3A. Always turn the camera ON, before the Intel NUC. Check if the USB cable is properly connected and fully inserted. Does the R a S keys of the keyboard trigger the camera?

I am using a 4K monitor and the system is performing slowly.

The Intel NUC OS and Inspection software has been optimized to run smoothly with FULL-HD monitors (1080p). 4K monitor will decrease the overall performance of the system.

I can not log in with my credentials (only for ONLINE units)

If you are getting an “Unknown Error” or “Login Error” message, check if your internet connection is running in the background a firewall or if it has been capped. A quick way to narrow down the problem would be creating a mobile hotspot and connect the Intel NUC to it. Contact us if the issue persists.

Not an AgnosPCB client?

Contact us to get free access to the Inspection tool