An intelligent PCB visual inspection system for defect detection and localization in excel VBA macro

Abstract

An intelligent system using Excel VBA macro program was made in this research. The proponent modeled a bare Printed Circuit Board (PCB) pattern used by Moganti et al. and Khalid in 2008. The proponent represented this PCB bare circuit in 80 × 44 dimensions with bits of ‘0-blank image’ and ‘1-filled/black image’. The PCB pattern was further divided into 32 panels in 10 × 11 dimensions with same bit representation. This bare pattern was compared with defective units for template matching using logical operators. The proponent considered building the system in high-level programming type of language. Considering that the system’s algorithm would require the use of Graphical User Interface (GUI) for visualization purposes. Excel VBA macro program, in this accord, was preferred by the proponent as it provides powerful tools both in GUI constructions and in Microsoft Excel applications. As the study aims to provide a more systematic way of inspecting PCB for defect detection, the system is built with functionalities capable of handling and mimicking the tasks of PCB visual inspector. The system would not only detect occurrence/s of defect/s, rather it would provide defect analysis by localizing the exact location of the defect on a specific panel and assessing defect likelihoods using repository and trend chart.