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Automated X-ray inspection (AXI) uses X-ray images and software to examine internal or concealed features of manufactured parts. In electronics manufacturing, it is chiefly used to inspect solder joints on printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) that an optical camera may not be able to see. AXI provides evidence about physical structure; it does not prove that an assembly works electrically as intended.
How automated X-ray inspection works
An X-ray source sends radiation through the part, and a detector records the image formed by differences in how materials absorb the X-rays. The image can reveal internal features because material density and thickness affect the intensity reaching the detector. Some systems use a scintillator to convert X-rays into visible light captured by a camera; others use a direct sensor array. These are alternative detector approaches, not a description of every machine.
For electronics inspection, GÖPEL electronic describes a unit under test irradiated by a cone-shaped X-ray beam inside a radiation-tight enclosure. Software evaluates the resulting images using a parameterized inspection program. The process can automate loading, inspection, evaluation, and result logging.
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What AXI can inspect
In electronics production, AXI is often used for solder joints hidden beneath or inside components. Depending on the machine, inspection program, board geometry, and chosen coverage, systems may inspect joints associated with BGA, QFN, QFP, LGA, and through-hole components. Example targets include misalignment, bridges or shorts, insufficient solder, voids, and head-in-pillow connections. These are system capabilities, not a guarantee that every AXI setup can detect every listed condition on every board.
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X-ray inspection also has applications outside PCB assemblies. Nordson describes examples involving semiconductor assemblies, castings, medical parts, and automotive or aerospace sensors. Those examples show the range of possible uses, not how common each application is across the market.
How AXI fits with optical and electrical inspection
Automated optical inspection (AOI) examines features visible to cameras; AXI is useful when a joint or other feature is concealed. Inspection strategies can combine them, assigning hidden joints to AXI and other features to optical inspection. AXI can operate inline as part of a production line or offline at a separate station. Inline/offline placement and full/selective inspection coverage are distinct choices: the right arrangement depends on the required coverage, board design, and production cycle time.
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AXI assesses structural features, while electrical tests assess electrical behavior. A 2002 IPC conference paper described AXI as complementary to flying-probe, in-circuit, and functional testing, rather than a replacement for them. A structurally acceptable image alone does not establish that the board functions correctly.
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2D, 2.5D, and 3D X-ray imaging
| Imaging approach | How it works | Practical trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| 2D | A vertical radiographic projection produces a flat image. | It is a simpler view, but overlapping features—especially on dense or double-sided boards—can make interpretation difficult. |
| 2.5D | Oblique projections add viewing angles to the inspection. | Additional angles can help assess features such as through-hole solder penetration or BGA connections, though some overlap limitations remain. |
| 3D | Software reconstructs a volume from multiple oblique images. | Separating top- and bottom-side joints can help with double-sided boards, but collecting multiple projections generally takes longer than acquiring a single 2D or 2.5D image. |
More image dimensions are not automatically better. The appropriate approach depends on the board, the defect of interest, coverage requirements, and line takt time. As a vendor-specific example, GÖPEL electronic says inline 3D calculation with digital area detectors usually uses 8–16 oblique images. It gives an approximate 3–5-second acquisition time for a standard 3D image field with eight projections, while noting that placement can require more projections. These figures describe that vendor’s example, not a general AXI performance benchmark.
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Why inspection setup and process monitoring matter
AXI depends on a parameterized inspection program, so the system must be set up for the assembly and features being evaluated. The IPC paper presented in 2002 discusses two different improvement goals: using AXI measurements to improve upstream assembly processes, and improving the inspection process itself. It identifies false failures, defect escapes, and uptime as process metrics to monitor. Its observations are historical, not current performance figures for AXI equipment.
False failures can send acceptable assemblies for unnecessary review or rework; escapes occur when a defect is not flagged. A useful inspection process therefore measures how it performs and adjusts the program and production process based on results, rather than assuming automation guarantees reliable calls. No independent, market-wide accuracy, false-call, escape, or throughput figure is established here.
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Radiation safety and standards context
GÖPEL describes radiation-tight chambers and safety interlocks for its electronics X-ray facilities, along with trained operators. Those are vendor statements about its installations. Anyone specifying or operating equipment should verify the system’s requirements, site approvals, applicable local regulations, and operator training obligations for the relevant jurisdiction.
DIN Media’s listing identifies IPC 9716A as published on April 1, 2026. The catalog summary says it adds specific requirements for automated inspection process control for printed-board assembly processes to generic IPC 9711 requirements, and names solder-paste inspection, AOI, and AXI as example inspection systems. The listing is a summary, not the full standard text.
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What to evaluate when choosing an AXI setup
There is no single AXI configuration that suits every assembly. When assessing equipment or an inspection process, match its capabilities to the board and the production context:
Quick Recap
- Which component packages and defect types need inspection?
- Does the board’s geometry or double-sided layout require oblique views or 3D reconstruction?
- Is inline integration or a separate offline station more appropriate for the production flow?
- Does the inspection plan require all components to be checked, or selected joints only?
- How does the required image acquisition and coverage fit the line’s takt time?
- What support is available for inspection-program setup, result logging, and traceability?
- What site-specific radiation protection, installation approval, and operator training apply?
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