USB Microscope for PCB work

Hi All,

I am looking for recommendations at indicative costs of a USB microscope to assist in PCB smd hand assemble and re work etc....

All your comments appreciated.

Joe

Reply to
Joe G (Home)
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You're better off with a "real" piece of lens, the delay in processing to make a picture on a PC will mess up your coordination. Or maybe I just need a new PC. I use my Canon S3 in super macro mode to take some nice close up pictures, with a LED illuminator. Or try the QX series of USB microscopes. Not a super great picture, but I hear there is a new version out.

Reply to
a7yvm109gf5d1

We have all sorts of stuff at work - serious video systems, stereo microscopes, illuminated magnifiers, Mantis microscopes, and wearable magnifiers. I don't like the video systems for assembling under; something with higher resolution and true stereo vision is much better. The Mantis is my favorite, but it's expensive. After that, I like magnifying glasses - drugstore granny glasses are good - and a good desk lamp.

Our QC people do like the video systems for inspection of fine-pitch ic's. But they're not good to actually work under.

John

Reply to
John Larkin

I use a cheap Chinese stereo dissecting microscope. The optical quality is surprisingly good and it is quite well made.

Leon

Reply to
Leon

snipped-for-privacy@netzero.com wrote: [snip...snip...]

(one of many sources:

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The QX gizmos do work and are fairly rugged (since they're targeted at kids). The working distance is a bit tight for live work, though, and you'd need to provide a stable support.

The

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is a bit pricier but looks like it could be better for your app. Docs don't give the working distance, though.

I do have one of the QX5s and it's somewhat useful for inspection and documentation.

Haven't tried the AM4111 (home page at

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but it does look tempting. However, it's bumping up against the price range of a budget stereo microscope setup.

Personally, I much prefer the good old Optivisor for hand rework.

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Rich Webb     Norfolk, VA
Reply to
Rich Webb

How about something like this?

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"In the begining God created the heavens and the Earth." GEN 1:1

Reply to
Mike

For documentation, use a scanner. Better resolution, focus, lighting, and distortion than a camera.

Reply to
qrk

I wonder hod good is the image from the USB microscope.

That got me to thinking, could a simple infra red thermometer be set up to scan an area to form a thermal picture image. Might be cheap, but slow ?

greg

Reply to
GregS

She used that scope?

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John
Reply to
John O'Flaherty

You actually get magnification out of those things? I find it provides very little magnification. Now I just use it to make my eyes look big when I'm drunk. It's hilarious.

Reply to
a7yvm109gf5d1

These are from a QX3:

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Reply to
DJ Delorie

Yup, the standard 5 diopter lenses are just 2-1/2 magnification but the true stereo vision plus "natural" head/eye coupling seem to make up for it. I do use the swing-down loupe attachment on occasion.

Can't comment on the utility while drunk but I do find that the Optivisor does somewhat disturb the cats when they get stared at through the lenses ...

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Rich Webb     Norfolk, VA
Reply to
Rich Webb

Looks ok when checking the quality of a solder job but when peeking at a QX it seemed the microscope has to hover really close above the corpus delicti. Can you actually solder under it? I mean without melting its plastic?

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Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

No.

I use an optivisor, either the 5 or 10 diopter, for soldering.

Reply to
DJ Delorie

I still use ye olde grampa glasses from Costco ;-)

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Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

It all depends on your budget and what you are expecting.

Number of workstations?

Type of scope? Modern best brands are the "Mantis" line of inspection scopes. There are others. Not cheap. They have a loan program that will allow you to check one out for a month, IIRC.

Cheap? For a couple hundred bucks, Intel (yeah, I said Intel) makes a USB CCD based microscope. I think it goes to 20X. It would have to be adapted, (to an old lens/lamp arm) or be hand held over the board.

For a proper solution, there is no cheap route. You could look at industrial surplus stores, and industrial liquidators' stores in your city somewhere.

New gear won't be cheap.

So, we need a bit more info. :-]

Reply to
StickThatInYourPipeAndSmokeIt

ACtually, a good digital camera that has a good, close macro mode would be killer at what you want. Mount it in a frame (heavy steel wire) at the minimum hard focus distance (or more), and use the zoom feature to adjust your view below. Move the PCB around by hand under the frame, and use the screen to view the result! Viola! Point a laser pointer at the center of the camera's view. BAM! Hi-res PCB live video micro-viewer for under $500. Want a snapshot? Press the button!

Reply to
ChairmanOfTheBored

Get real optics. I suggest the Bausch & Lomb Stereoview 3 (used obviously)

Incidentally, the later models have a lot of plastic in the focus mechanism, so the older 3 is considered the way to go.

Look for one with a heavy base and long arm. This way you can position it over the PCB. Accessories for these microscopes are very expensive, so consider that when you make your purchase.

Reply to
miso

Or use the software that came with the camera to remote control it via USB, like my S3. BTW, once in macro mode, there is no zoom.

Reply to
a7yvm109gf5d1

The QX3 is fine for quick emails and documentation of booboos. Just today we got a board in that had one single pad of a 0201 cap covered in silkscreen. A perfect little rectangle of silkscreen perfectly on top of the pad. This feature is neither in the database or the gerbers. So I emailed the piccy to the supplier.

Reply to
a7yvm109gf5d1

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