Economical digital microscope with built-in LCD for standalone PCB inspection

Saelig Company has introduced the Saelig SAE106S Digital Microscope, a versatile tool designed particularly for PCB inspection, but it also proves useful in many other fields such as coin or mechanical part examination. The device can be used as a standalone inspection device for circuit board examination using its built-in 4.3" LCD screen, or it connected to a PC. Illumination is enhanced by an eight-LED adjustable ring light and two extra repositionable, dimmable side lights to provide optimal contrast viewing. The device gives 10X-220X magnification for discovering the smallest blemish or trace problem, and resultant images and videos can be stored on an SD card or transferred to a Windows PC. The device features a large non-conducting ABS plastic base for supporting the PCB being examined.

Visual inspection is a premier tool in PCB debug activities. Searching for missing, incorrect or charred components, bad solder joints, and solder bridges is the first order of business when a bad board comes in for repair. This becomes so much easier with a powerful microscope such as the SAE106S. Looking for solder whiskers or bridges between pads or solder joints is especially challenging between the pins of fine-pitch SMD chips without significant magnification. If the problem is a short, it may be plainly visible on the full-colour LCD screen as a burned spot that is discoloured brown, instead of the normal green solder mask of the PCB.