The use of industrial radiography in troubleshooting and diagnosing of printed circuit boards structure by the Modified Total Variation method

Abstract

A large number of printed board circuits (PCBs) are analyzed by X-ray imaging in reverse engineering for the purpose of identifying their connections, their damage, and how they are linked together. Using this method, an X-ray is passed through single or multi-layer boards in order to determine how they are connected and how the parts are arranged. According to the findings, there is fogging in the radiographs due to X-ray scattering and the thinness of copper connections on the boards as well as the small sizes of electronic components. This research employs the Modified Total Variation method (MTV) with alternating gradient, which is an iterative method based on gradient changes in Total Variation, to increase contrast. Based on the results of the implementation of the MTV algorithm on radiographs of various ranges, the contrast has increased, and besides the copper connections, the internal components of the electronic components have also become clearer. Reconstructed images show a contrast improvement of approximately 20 to 40%, according to experts. Using this information, it is possible to repair or build boards in reverse engineering.

Keywords

• industrial radiography
• reverse engineering
• printed circuit board
• modified total variation method
• image processing