During recent years the electronics manufacturing industry has had to cope with very rapid developments in semiconductor technology, while also having to adapt to the changes in manufacturing philosophy which are being applied to most industry sectors. During this period machine vision has become an integral part of the automation being used to increase the efficiency or quality of the printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication and assembly processes which are required for this new miniature technology. This article outlines developments within the electronics manufacturing industry, examines the role of machine vision and the requirements for inspection during PCB assembly. The experiences of three major manufacturers are presented. The article concludes the need for the structured integration of vision machines within manufacturing systems to increase both flexibility and reliability.