The result of analysis of the principles and methods in part of quality control of electronic modules and their functional elements at different stages of their production and operation is provided in this paper. The defect types revealed by means of automatic optical inspection and non-destructive X-ray control are systematized. The result of analysis of the existing technique level in the field of automatic optical inspection and non-destructive X-ray control of defects of electronic modules are given. The possibilities of the systems combining these methods, and, in particular, software subsystems, and also the direction of enhancement of knoware and the software of these systems in the conditions of increase of complexity and non-uniformity of controlled products are defined.