VIEW Engineering

VIEW Engineering was one of the first manufacturers of commercial machine vision systems. These systems provided automated dimensional measurement, defect detection, alignment and quality control capabilities. They were used primarily in the Semiconductor device fabrication, Integrated circuit packaging, Printed circuit board, Computer data storage and Precision assembly / fabrication industries. VIEW's systems used video and laser technologies to perform their functions without touching the parts being examined.
History.
While working as a physicist at Hughes Aircraft Company, Dick Hubach recognized a need for automated dimensional measurement systems, when he discovered that the cost to verify the correct manufacture of some aerospace components actually exceeded the cost to manufacture those components. This recognition led to a new start-up company named VIEW Engineering.
VIEW Engineering was founded in Canoga Park, California in 1976. The next year, VIEW introduced the word's first automated, 3-axis, machine vision-based, dimensional measurement system – the RB-1. The RB-1 was the forerunner of modern machine vision-based Coordinate-measuring machines (CMMs). This was followed in 1978 by the introduction of the first pattern recognition (Template matching) system for automated Wirebonding machines and Wafer probers – the PR-1.
As the company's business increased, VIEW Engineering relocated to a facility in Chatsworth, California in late 1977 and again to Simi Valley, California in 1981.
General Motors Corporation invested in VIEW Engineering in 1984 as part of its plan to improve automobile manufacturing quality in the U.S. through widespread use of factory floor machine vision technology. In 1989, VIEW Engineering purchased Synthetic Vision Systems, Inc.
VIEW Engineering was an OEM for Mitutoyo in the late 1980s. This relationship was concluded when Mitutoyo licensed VIEW's machine vision technology in 1994. This licensed technology became the foundation for Mitutoyo's video and laser-based CMMs.
In 1996, Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. (RVSI) first brought a patent infringement lawsuit against VIEW Engineering related to the coplanarity measurement of packaged semiconductor devices. In 2000, RVSI's patent was finally declared invalid and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ruled in favor of VIEW Engineering. Even after this ruling, RVSI contemplated continuing its appeals through 2001.
Also in 1996, VIEW Engineering was purchased by General Scanning, Inc. (GSI). Quality Vision International, Inc. (QVI) purchased the company from GSI Lumonics (previously GSI) in 2000. In 2005, QVI combined VIEW Engineering with Micro Metric, Inc. of San Jose, California, and in 2008 renamed the new company "VIEW Micro-Metrology." In 2009, VIEW's California operations were relocated to QVI's Western Region facility in Tempe, Arizona.
VIEW Micro-Metrology continues to be global supplier of high-accuracy video coordinate measuring systems and software, primarily serving micro-electronic, mobile device and data storage manufacturing.
Product timeline.
The timeline given above is summarized here.