SAN DIEGO, CA - January 15, 2001 - Teradyne, Inc. (NYSE:TER) today introduced the newest member of its next-generation Optimaé 7000-Series family of automated optical inspection systems. Launched at the APEX trade show held here this week, the Optima 7200 is a post-placement automated optical inspection system designed to provide comprehensive defect detection as well as process monitoring of the Surface Mount Technology (SMT) component placement process. The Optima 7200 monitors placement equipment to minimize defects while enabling increased yields with reduced repair costs. Advanced image acquisition and image analysis technology of the Optima 7200 provides 100% component inspection and fault coverage - at line speed.

The Optima 7200's advanced technology eliminates human-setup errors, reduces time-to-volume, the quantity of defects produced by the process and the cost to repair them. The Optima 7200 provides the tools needed to quickly identify setup and placement errors and monitor the variation in the placement process.

Optima 7200 Image Acquisition The Optima 7200 image acquisition system employs a state-of-the-art megapixel color camera, telecentric optics and a multi-axis broad-spectrum lighting system. The image acquisition system is attached to an overhead X/Y gantry that scans the entire printed circuit board. After the system has acquired each of the individual frames, it reconstructs a complete mosaic of the printed circuit board.

Optima 7200 Image Analysis TriMetricé image analysis is the key to the Optima 7200's unequaled diagnostic and measurement repeatability. The Optima 7200's patented combination of the three image analysis methods provides the best perspective on component placement and the assembly process. Optima's TriMetric image analysis applies the inspection benefits of Image Matching, Structural Analysis, and Geometry Measurement to every component inspected.

Image Matching is an extremely fast method for locating a component in a region of the board. This method compares one or more stored images to the component being inspected. It provides a small set of reference locations for the Structural Analysis method to analyze, significantly reducing analysis time.

The Structural Analysis method uses Teradyne-supplied models to provide comprehensive analysis of the structure of inspected components. This method validates the Image Match Method's hypotheses on component presence/absence, orientation, and provides the Geometry Measurement method the approximate position of the component.

The Geometry Measurement method provides precise component location by combining the known structure and approximate location of the component with traditional edge-finding techniques. Dramatically reducing variation in measurements for process control.

Optima 7200 systems incorporate image management and analysis technology licensed from IMAGEN Incorporated, Cambridge, Massachusetts (WWW.IMAGEN-INC.COM).

Programming Simplicity with Optima

The Optima 7200 provides a fully automated program development and debug facilities. The totally automated programming process virtually eliminates all programming costs and allows inspection procedures created on one machine to be deployed on any Optima 7200.

Pricing and Availability

North American pricing for Teradyne's Optima 7200 Post-Placement Automated Optical Inspection System begins at around $150,000. Prices outside North America will vary. Shipments of the system are scheduled to begin in March 2001.

About Imagen Incorporated

Imagen Incorporated is a spin-off company from the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, specializing in automated visual recognition and pictorial/multimedia search systems. At the heart of Imagen is a groundbreaking technology for image and video analysis that was developed by the founders, for which the company was originally awarded the MIT - George M. Sprowls Award for exceptional research.

About Teradyne

Teradyne (NYSE: TER) is the world's largest supplier of automatic test equipment, related software and high performance interconnection systems for the electronics, telecommunications and Internet industries. 1999 sales were $1.8 billion and there are currently more than 10,000 Teradyne employees worldwide. Teradyne products are used to test semiconductors, circuit assemblies, telephone lines and broadband networks. Teradyne's backplane assemblies and high-density connectors are used in the communications and computing systems central to the Internet infrastructure. More than 70% of the company's business is driven by Internet growth.

The Assembly Test Division, located in North Reading, Massachusetts and Walnut Creek, California, serves electronics manufacturers of circuit board assemblies with comprehensive capabilities in test and inspection. Teradyne test systems, instruments, and software are used in commercial environments such as Contract Manufacturers and in military/aerospace applications where reliability, time-to-market, and in-line process test are key to success.

Optima 7000 -Series is a trademark of Teradyne, Inc. Other product names are trademarks of their respective owners.