Participation in technical tasks
TWI will be involved in the following work packages at the request of the SMEs: WP-A, production of requirement specifications and production of calibration boards with defects representing those seen in normal production; WP-B, development of NDT X-ray techniques for PCBs; WP-D, development of X-ray generation and detection hardware; WP-E, development of acoustic imaging hardware; WP-F, carrying out extensive laboratory and field trials of the prototype (at Microtel and Beta).

Reasons for selection by the SMEs
TWI has over 35 qualified NDT inspection engineers with academic, research and industrial qualifications. Approximately 15 of these engineers specialise in X-ray inspection methods and have extensive experience of solving X-ray inspection problems throughout the production and manufacturing industry. The NDT Technology Section is recognised as expert in the reliability of radiography and has won several awards in this area. Also, considerable experience has been built up in image processing techniques and software associated with digital radiography as well as acoustic, thermal and AOI techniques. TWI has the facilities for research in the development of inspection methods for PCBs. TWI also has been working with PCBs for over 30 years with much experience in the examination of connections in PCBs.

The microelectronics section at TWI, with seven technical experts, will be involved in providing research for all developments. In the microelectronics section, expertise covers PCB assemblies and packaging, miniaturisation, soldering and joining arrays, manufacturing systems, reliability and quality assurance. TWI was chosen by the SMEs due to its all round research experience in PCBs and different types of NDT technique development.