AI Visual Inspection for PCBA

Targeted inspection. Flexible deployment. Less setup work.

Automate component checks, marking verification and visible defect inspection. Reuse compatible imaging equipment or add a compact workstation to extend inspection coverage, reduce manual checks and simplify product changeovers.

0.1%

Miss rate

0.8s

Inspection cycle/board

24/7

Continuous inline inspection

PCBA Inspection Challenges

Dense assemblies, small batches and frequent changeovers—manual inspection and fixed-rule AOI struggle to keep pace.

/ 01

Time-Consuming Product Setup

Each new product requires programming, parameter tuning and validation. Repeated setup increases engineering workload, ties up skilled staff and delays production readiness.

/ 02

Checks Beyond Existing AOI Coverage

Some component and assembly checks still require manual inspection. Replacing equipment or developing a dedicated machine adds cost and integration work.

/ 03

High False-Call Rates

Normal variations in solder appearance, component position and material batches can trigger unnecessary alarms and repeated review.

/ 04

Labor-Intensive Manual Review

Repeated checks depend on operator experience. Fatigue and inconsistent judgment can lead to missed defects.

PCBA Inspection Challenges. Targeted AI Solutions.

Address manual checks, false calls, changeover work and extend inspection coverage with inspection configured for your production needs.

Challenge 01 / Time-Consuming Product Setup

↓

Few-shot learning. Reuse product setups.

Configure inspection with 10–30 sample images in a visual interface. Save product-specific setups and recall them for repeat production without scripting.

2h

Changeover time

Challenge 02 / Checks Beyond Existing AOI Coverage

↓

Extend Inspection. Fit Your Line.

Choose an edge AI box, an embedded vision card or a complete inspection station to match your existing equipment and inspection needs. 

80%

Less integration work

Challenge 03 / High False-Call Rates

↓

Fewer False Calls. More Focus on Real Defects.

AI learns to distinguish defect patterns from acceptable variations to reduce unnecessary alarms while maintaining checks against defined acceptance criteria.

~ 80%

Fewer false calls

Challenge 04 / Labor-Intensive Manual Review

↓

Automate routine checks with consistent criteria.

Automatically check component presence, orientation and readable markings. Flag deviations of the affected component so operators can review exceptions instead of checking every position manually.

75%

Less manual review

Configure the Checks Your PCBA Needs

Three Ways to Deploy

Upgrade an existing vision setup, add a dedicated inspection station or embed AI in your own equipment.

Line upgrades

Apexera Box

An edge AI box that connects to existing imaging equipment, line controls and runs inspection software.

✓ Compatible with major industrial cameras

✓ Trigger and production-line integration

✓ Inspection data for MES / SPC integration

Learn more
Complete workstation

Apexera Station

A complete workstation with enclosure, camera and lighting for tray-based IC and PCBA module inspection.

✓ 25-second inspection per IC tray

✓ Per-pocket NG location and heatmaps

✓ One-click product selection

Learn more
Equipment integration

Apexera Card

A PCIe vision card combining image acquisition and AI inference for integration into inspection equipment.

✓ Acquisition and inference on one card

✓ Low-latency inference

✓ SDK and API access

Learn more

~80%

Fewer false calls

AOI false calls fell from 8% to 1.5%; review staffing fell from four operators to one.

60%

Shorter setup time

New-product inspection setup shortened from five working days to two.

0.1%

Customer defect complaint rate

PCBA defect complaints from downstream customers decreased by 92%.

3 mo

Payback period

Average payback of three months, based on labor and rework savings.

PCBA Inspection Across Electronics Manufacturing

Consumer devices, controllers, power electronics and BMS boards have different quality priorities. Configure inspection for each board, workstation and acceptance standard.

Consumer Electronics PCBA illustration

Consumer Electronics

Fast changeover: Product changeover within hours reduces waiting time for high-mix, small-batch production.

Automotive Electronics PCBA illustration

Automotive Electronics

Critical-component checks: Identify missing, reversed or incorrect parts, locate the affected component and retain board-level records.

Energy Storage & Industrial Control PCBA illustration

Energy Storage & Industrial Control

Flexible board configurations: Manage multiple SKU configurations and reuse setups across related boards to reduce repeated tuning.

Medical & Sensing Electronics PCBA illustration

Medical & Sensing Electronics

Lot verification and traceability: Verify readable component lot codes and save defect images and review records, reducing manual transcription.

Frequently Asked Questions

What value does Apexera bring to an existing AOI inspection line?

Apexera supplements rule-based AOI on tricky defects including missing parts, reversed polarity and connector assembly issues. It can run as a standalone station or integrate with your existing vision hardware when image quality is acceptable.

Fixed-rule AOI relies on thresholds and template matching, which can require substantial tuning for similar-looking components and new products. Apexera uses deep learning and learns from few good samples for high-mix production. Deploy through Box, an embedded Card or an integrated Station.

Yes. Card and Box can reuse cameras and lighting with compatible interfaces and image quality that meets the inspection requirements. Station includes its imaging hardware. Select the configuration for the required cycle time and inspection detail.

No. Our self-supervised anomaly detection can build a baseline model from good-part images. A small number of defective samples can further refine detection and reduce sample preparation effort.

Yes. The solution supports on-premises deployment. Images, inspection logs and BOM data stay on customer-controlled local infrastructure without cloud uploads, supporting data governance and traceability workflows.

No. Line technicians can handle routine operation. Apexera technical support can assist remotely with model tuning and version updates.

Yes. Define a targeted inspection list and check assembly and markings only for the specified components.

Add samples and train a configuration for each new SKU. For higher line speeds, review imaging hardware and system capacity against the required cycle time.

Evaluate Your PCBA Inspection Task

Share board samples or line images, target defects and cycle-time requirements. We will assess inspection feasibility, imaging conditions and deployment options.

Request a Free POC Product Catalog