Verify AOI inspectability before production
Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) is only as good as the visibility of the board design. If the camera cannot see every relevant pin or solder joint, inspection coverage drops—and the problem is often discovered too late in production. PCB-Investigator’s AOI Analysis helps you validate inspectability during the design phase, before it turns into a manufacturing issue.
This matters because even small layout decisions can create major downstream costs. A component placed too close to another part may block the inspection angle, force manual checking, or trigger a redesign. Early verification is a practical way to improve manufacturability and reduce avoidable rework.
2D and 3D analysis for realistic inspection planning
With PCB-Investigator, you can evaluate AOI coverage in 2D and 3D. The 2D inspection measures the expected inspection direction for each pin and checks whether neighboring components obstruct the camera view. Camera angle and tolerance distances are part of the calculation, so the result reflects real AOI conditions more closely.
The 3D AOI simulation adds shadow-based analysis in vertical and horizontal inspection directions. If a component or its pins fall into a shadow zone, the system marks it as potentially not inspectable and lists the shadow-casting components together with the relevant distances.
“Designing for manufacturability includes designing for inspectability.”
Built for engineering teams that need clarity
- Early detection of AOI visibility issues
- 2D and 3D simulation for more realistic inspection checks
- Detailed result lists with pins, components, and distances
- AOI check layers and colored pins for faster review
- Exportable results for documentation and production control
If inspectability is part of your DFM workflow, PCB-Investigator’s AOI Analysis is worth a closer look. Try it out and see how early design validation can help you prevent inspection surprises on the line.
