Siemens Acquires Opto-Control, Specialist 3-D Automatic Optical Inspection Systems

Siemens Automation and Drives (A&D) has acquired Opto-Control Elektronik Prüfsysteme GmbH of Bochum, Germany. The purchase adds high-precision automatic optical inspection (AOI) systems to Siemens’s Siplace surface mount technology business. Opto-Control’s technologically leading inspection systems are fully automated and use the latest 3-D sensor technology to detect any solder or placement flaws with exceptional speed.

To ensure the highest possible quality, process controls and automated inspection are becoming increasingly more important in electronics manufacturing. AOI systems help operators as well as process engineers to optimize their processes and monitor the production output. The newly expanded Siplace portfolio now combines AOI systems from Opto-Control with the market-leading Siemens SMT placement machines, enabling the high process reliability requirements in electronics manufacturing to be implemented even better than before.

The business with AOI systems will be integrated into the Optical Solutions (OI) unit of A&D’s Electronics Assembly Systems division, where it will benefit from Siemens A&D’s global sales and service network. Siemens wants to take advantage of this structure to significantly expand its system with fully automated 3-D inspection systems in the future.

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