Wire bonder and method of operating the same

Wire bonder having a bonding head which has a bonding tool and a bonding wire guide and a bonding wire cutting device which comprises a cutter for separation of that section of a bonding wire which projects beyond a bonding contact, the wire bonder having a camera with a downstream image processing device for recording and processing an image of its working region at a workpiece, wherein with the image processing device there is associated storage for storing data of at least one desired positional relationship between at least two of

• the bonding tool, the bonding wire guide, and the cutter;
• and
• the wire bonder also having a comparison control and comparator connected, on the input side, to the storage, and to the image processing device, for comparing the data with actual images of the corresponding components and for outputting a control or warning signal indicative of a significant discrepancy between desired positional relationships and actual images;
• wherein the storage comprises at least a first, second and third storage regions for storing desired data and/or desired images of the bonding tool, of the bonding wire guide and/or of the cutter;
• wherein the comparator comprises at least a first, second and third comparator unit for comparing the desired data and/or desired images stored in the first to third storage regions with positional data and/or images of the bonding tool, of the bonding wire guide and of the cutter, and
• wherein downstream of the first to Third comparator units there is arranged a logic processing unit for linking separate output signals of the comparator units, which is arranged for the outputting of a control and/or warning signal when a predetermined combination of output signals of the first to third comparator units is present.