Hewlett-Packard Co has beefed up its portfolio of expertise in the automated testing of printed circuit boards with the purchase of a Singapore-based company which uses robot vision to inspect newly assembled components. Vital Technology Pte Ltd has became a wholly owned subsidiary of Hewlett-Packard as of Tuesday and the company will become known as the HP Singapore Vision Operation. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. HP said Vital’s technology will be added to its current range of testing techniques including cross-sectional X-rays of solder joints and in-circuit electrical validation tests. HP’s general manager of the Automated Test Group, John Scruggs, said the new technology, which is based on two dimensional and three dimensional image inspection, would help HP’s electrical manufacturing customers to reduce testing costs and overall time-to-market.
