Author Topic: Rework microscope - how to make laser-marked chips readable?  (Read 2655 times)

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Offline tatus1969Topic starter

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Rework microscope - how to make laser-marked chips readable?
« on: March 28, 2018, 05:52:09 pm »
I've recently bought a nice rework microscope (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/quick-review-of-(very-affordable-camera)-microscope-for-rework-and-inspection/). As many of you know, it is sometimes hard to impossible to read the markings on many components, especially those that are laser marked. For example, the accelerometer of my STM32F4 Discovery boards looks like this:



To make this readable, you have to tilt the PCB, and the refocus the microscope. When done, refocus again. A strong additional light source coming from the side can also improve this, but at the expense of excess glare on solder joints...

What would you say if you could do this?
https://youtu.be/018YiwPHax0
« Last Edit: March 28, 2018, 05:56:04 pm by tatus1969 »
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Offline sn4k3

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Re: Rework microscope - how to make laser-marked chips readable?
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2018, 07:43:44 pm »
Thats normal with every microscope using direct light source creating unwanted reflection and erase some writing, you can ignore and use it like that and when you need to see the writtings you tilt the board and note down, if you want to fix you can always use a gooseneck or some kind of directional light source, but this mean more things on bench and more obstacles.

If you are using the microscope from that post, a good match will be something that attach to the tube, like: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183040658759

As a bonus you can use both direct light and gooseneck for best performance and shadow free, (Set gooseneck to max brigthness and ajust led ring to min, will give you a good and clean view with visible writtings)
« Last Edit: March 28, 2018, 07:50:34 pm by sn4k3 »
 

Offline tatus1969Topic starter

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Re: Rework microscope - how to make laser-marked chips readable?
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2018, 08:03:17 pm »
If you are using the microscope from that post, a good match will be something that attach to the tube, like: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183040658759
Thanks for the tip, but did you see my video? It's not post edited, I am achieving that with a simple trick without an additional light source.
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Offline sn4k3

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Re: Rework microscope - how to make laser-marked chips readable?
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2018, 08:28:41 pm »
If you are using the microscope from that post, a good match will be something that attach to the tube, like: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183040658759
Thanks for the tip, but did you see my video? It's not post edited, I am achieving that with a simple trick without an additional light source.

The trick is tilt the board? If so i have anwser about that on first paragraph. Or are you saying that if you tilt, refocus, put board flat again and refocus solve your problem?
« Last Edit: March 28, 2018, 08:37:35 pm by sn4k3 »
 

Offline Addicted2AnalogTek

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Offline tatus1969Topic starter

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Re: Rework microscope - how to make laser-marked chips readable?
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2018, 09:17:38 pm »
If you are using the microscope from that post, a good match will be something that attach to the tube, like: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183040658759
Thanks for the tip, but did you see my video? It's not post edited, I am achieving that with a simple trick without an additional light source.

The trick is tilt the board? If so i have anwser about that on first paragraph. Or are you saying that if you tilt, refocus, put board flat again and refocus solve your problem?
No. As you can see in the video, I didn't tilt the board, and I didn't refocus. And I didn't add a second light source. Any new guesses? (I am making this a riddle, and I hope that you have the same fun as I have - how did I achieve that?)
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Offline Fred27

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Re: Rework microscope - how to make laser-marked chips readable?
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2018, 09:18:48 pm »
If you are using the microscope from that post, a good match will be something that attach to the tube, like: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183040658759
Thanks for the tip, but did you see my video? It's not post edited, I am achieving that with a simple trick without an additional light source.
If you think you've found something useful then just say what it is. What's the point of this ridiculous guessing game? Are you waiting for someone to tell you how clever you are?
 

Offline tatus1969Topic starter

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Offline tatus1969Topic starter

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Re: Rework microscope - how to make laser-marked chips readable?
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2018, 09:23:50 pm »
If you think you've found something useful then just say what it is. What's the point of this ridiculous guessing game? Are you waiting for someone to tell you how clever you are?
Meant not offense, I'm just someone who likes riddles, and likes to play.
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