AXI (xray inspection) licencing / regulatory requirments in Australia

[loki42]

Does anyone have an AXI setup and know what you needed to do to buy one? Was there a license required? If so, what was the cost / process to get it? Was it worth it over AOI? I place a lot of QFN packages, only 1 BGA.

[mairo]

Hey loki, send an email to radiation.safety@health.vic.gov.au and in it explain the machine model/part number with a link to documentation, what are you going to do with the machine - e.g. user only, installer, maintain … If you will only be using it, i guess you will get away with a Management license only and not a user license.

For further information on application for the licenses check also www.health.vic.gov.au/radiation/x-ray-analysis-unit

Send them an email, they are very helpful and normally responds quick too.

[mairo]

As a start you will need at least a Management license (and probably only that), but you need to have it before you get the machine.

[loki42]

Thanks for the info.  Process and prices don't look too nuts.  There was one at an auction that I thought might go cheap. I'm also wondering about the utility vs aoi given the extra effort required.  Mostly I'm keen to spot soldering issues. 

[Mangozac]

This topic reminds me of a potential customer I met a few years ago. An "inventor" type guy who was trying to do something x-raying particular samples. He had bought this x-ray equipment and was setting it up on a CNC in his unit in a complex in the middle of suburbia. No shielding, no licenses, no clue. I highly doubt he ever got it to operate because when I met him he had spliced the RS-232 control wires into a USB cable because "the wire colours were the same" 

Suffice to say I declined any involvement but its kind of scary to think about once you look past the craziness...

[loki42]

Hah,  yeah the whole x ray part of it sounds a bit hectic. Lucky the machine had all the shielding etc.  Though I'm much less nervous about buying used optical gear! 

The fault finding capabilities does look very impressive compared to 3d AOI but I'd be keen to hear actual user opinions instead of marketing.  I chatted to Oritech (local support) and they also told me new prices...