Introduction: Choosing an online AI AOI for an SMT line works best as a sequence — inspection station, conveyor type, board envelope, pixel resolution, then optional functions — because each choice narrows the next.
Selecting an online AI AOI begins with the inspection station, then proceeds to the conveyor type, then the board envelope and pixel resolution, and only afterward the optional functions. It is tempting to start with a speed figure or camera specification, but that sequence often yields a machine that cannot accommodate the largest panel or that creates a bottleneck behind a fast placer. The T7 single-track online AI AOI and its T7D double-track variant illustrate how each decision narrows the subsequent one and converts a lengthy specification list into a concise set of requirements you can review with a supplier.
How Inline AOI Fits Different SMT Inspection Stations and Conveyor Layouts
An online AI AOI is positioned within the line, so boards arrive on the conveyor, are imaged and evaluated, and move forward without being taken to a separate bench. The initial decision is therefore not a specification at all: it is the station the machine must serve. A post-reflow station encounters boards directly exiting the oven, where solder joints appear bright, pads are covered by a thin flux haze, and the relevant defects include bridges, insufficient solder, tombstoning, and missing or shifted components. A post-wave station deals with a different surface: through-hole leads, taller solder fillets, and faults such as pin bridges, icicles, and incomplete fill. Lighting angles and defect criteria are not interchangeable between these two, so a machine configured for one station requires its own recipe for the other.
1. Post-Reflow and Post-Wave Stations Need Different Image Conditions and Defect Criteria
Reflow joints reflect light unevenly because each fillet has a distinct curvature, and dark boards, white silkscreen, and gold or HASL finishes all alter the background. Deep learning inspection handles this by learning the appearance of a good joint on your own boards rather than comparing pixels to a fixed template, which keeps false calls manageable on mixed-finish production. Wave-soldered boards add another layer: leads protrude through the board, solder volume is greater, and the pass/fail threshold between a full fillet and an acceptable one depends on your customer's workmanship class. Determine the station first, then request that the supplier tune the defect library accordingly.
2. Single-Track and Double-Track Conveyors Match Different Takt and Board Flow Conditions
A single-track machine processes one board at a time, so its inspection cycle must fit within the takt the line already runs. If your placer and oven deliver a panel every 20 seconds and the inspection cycle is 26 seconds, the AOI becomes the bottleneck regardless of how good its algorithms are. A double-track machine such as the T7D operates two lanes in parallel, which keeps up with fast reflow lines and enables running two different products side by side without redesigning the entire line. The appropriate question to ask a supplier is not "which is faster" but "how many boards per hour do my placer and oven produce, and can one lane absorb that?" The T7 single-track model handles standard continuous inspection; the T7D double-track option is the one to evaluate when takt pressure is the real issue.
What Board Size, Thickness, and Pixel Resolution an Online AI AOI Must Match
Start by compiling the actual board list: the smallest panel, the largest panel, the thickest and thinnest stack-ups, and any oversized boards you plan to run next year. The T7 covers PCB sizes from 50 × 50 mm up to 460 × 460 mm, with a selection note pointing to 500 × 325 mm and customization available beyond that. It handles board thickness from 0.3 mm to 6 mm. These figures determine whether the machine can accept your production, so verify them against your widest panel and your thinnest flex-heavy assembly before discussing optics. Panels that fall outside the standard envelope usually require a custom conveyor width or a different frame, which is worth raising early rather than at installation. Pixel resolution then decides what the camera can resolve on those boards. A 5 μm pixel size provides real edge definition on 0201 chips and fine-pitch leads, and 0201 is standard support on this platform. Pixel size is a camera property that defines how much of the board each pixel covers, which is why smaller numbers mean finer detail but also a narrower field of view and more images to stitch; the EMVA 1288 standard exists to describe these camera metrics consistently. For most SMT assemblies, 5 μm is the practical starting point. Choose finer optics only when the product mix genuinely requires it, because higher magnification costs inspection time on every board, not just the difficult ones.
Which Optional Functions Change the Selection Decision for Your Product Mix
Optional features are where selection becomes specific to what you build. Support for 01005 components is optional and worth adding only when your roadmap includes that package size, because it changes the optical configuration rather than a software setting. 3D detection is optional as well, and it earns its place when you need height information such as coplanarity, lifted leads, or solder volume on parts where a 2D image cannot separate good from bad. Barcode scanning and MES integration are optional modules that matter when traceability is a customer requirement or when inspection results must feed into a shop-floor system. Treat each of these as a separate configuration decision. Programming effort belongs in the same discussion because it determines how the machine behaves during changeover. The T7 platform works from a single good board with a guided, CAD-free setup that takes about five minutes on standard boards; complex, dense, or unusual assemblies take longer and deserve a realistic engineering allowance. That matters most on high-mix lines, where changeover frequency, not raw inspection speed, drives the real cost. Consider a high-mix EMS line with frequent changeovers: each CAD import and manual tuning cycle consumes line time, so a machine that configures from one good board changes the economics of small batches far more than a faster camera would. Inspection speed is up to 100+ mm/s, while defect detection accuracy is stated as nominal ≥ 99.5% and false call reduction as nominal up to 80%; these figures support that workflow rather than replace it.
Conclusion
The selection order keeps an online AI AOI project on schedule: station first, then single or double track, then board envelope and 5 μm pixel resolution, then optional modules such as 01005 support, 3D detection, barcode scanning, and MES integration. Work through it in sequence and you arrive at a short, defensible specification instead of a wish list. Bring your board list, your boards-per-hour target, and your traceability requirements to a supplier conversation, and ask for confirmation of coverage for your largest and smallest panels, your changeover frequency, and the exact optional modules your product mix needs. IRIS ANT is an AI AOI machine manufacturer and AOI inspection equipment supplier, and builds the T7 single-track and T7D double-track online AI AOI for SMT lines. Pricing, MOQ, lead time, warranty terms, and certification documents are confirmed through an official inquiry.
FAQ
Q：How do I choose between a single-track and double-track online AI AOI for my SMT line?
A：Start with the takt your placer and reflow oven already deliver. If one inspection cycle per board fits inside that takt with margin, a single-track machine such as the T7 is the simpler choice; if inspection would become the bottleneck, or if you want to run two products in parallel, the T7D double-track variant is the one to evaluate. Confirm your boards-per-hour target with the supplier so they can match the conveyor configuration to your real throughput instead of to a generic speed figure.
Q：What PCB size and pixel resolution should I match before selecting an online AI AOI machine?
A：Match the machine to your largest and smallest panels first, because the board envelope is the hardest specification to change later. The T7 platform supports PCB sizes from 50 × 50 mm to 460 × 460 mm with a 500 × 325 mm selection note and customization available, plus board thickness of 0.3–6 mm. A 5 μm pixel size resolves 0201 parts and fine-pitch leads well, which covers most SMT assemblies; choose finer optics only if your product mix genuinely requires it.
Q：Are 01005 component support and 3D detection standard features on an online AI AOI machine?
A：On the T7 platform, standard support covers 0201 components, while 01005 support and 3D detection are both optional. 01005 support changes the optical configuration, so add it when that package size is genuinely in your production roadmap. 3D detection is the right option when you need height-based judgments such as coplanarity, lifted leads, or solder volume that a 2D image cannot resolve. Specify both as separate modules during configuration.
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