Title: An Expert System for Visual Inspection of IC Leadframes
Author(s): George Dainis, Texas Instruments, Inc., Attleboro, MA, and Matthew O. Ward, Computer Science
Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609
Source: Proc. of First World Congress on Expert Systems, 1991.
Abstract: This paper concerns the design, implementation, and testing of an expert system for visual inspection of
the physical attributes of a manufactured product. The target product for this inspection is Integrated Circuit
Leadframes. Inspection of both profile and surface finish defects is performed. As implemented, the system
functions off-line from the production equipment in a non-real-time mode, using images obtained through the
digitization of photographs of the product taken through a low power microscope. A frame based representation
system is used to describe the product and defect categories. The system uses multiple levels of visual inspection
to identify generic and specific inspection targets and defect categories.