Technological advances ensure that printed circuit board can not only perform complex functions, but can also be produced cheaply. This is exactly why PCBS are an integral part of so many devices. However, the quality of the equipment is proportional to the quality of the PCB used. Therefore, PCB failure can have destructive consequences, in which the entire system may fail. Therefore, it is important to adhere to certain quality measures during PCB design and manufacturing.

The IPC standard

Printed Circuit Board Association (actually the association’s previous name; Although retaining the IPC name, it is now known as the Association connected Electronics Industry Association, a global trade association for the manufacture of PCB and other electronic components. The institute was founded in 1957 and published standards for the acceptability of printed circuit boards. The industry association has more than 4,000 members who manufacture and design PCBS and components, including but not limited to the following industries:

Military and aerospace

Automobile industry

Industrial equipment

Medical equipment

Telecom

Therefore, the IPC standard is the industry standard for almost all steps of PCB design, from design, production to electronic assembly.

Compliance with IPC standards published by industry bodies provides a number of benefits, including:

Consistency – By maintaining IPC certification, you can ensure consistent production of high-quality PCBS. This, in turn, translates into customer satisfaction and can therefore improve the business.

Improved communication — IPC certification ensures that suppliers and manufacturers use the same terminology, so that no miscommunication can occur. It becomes a common language among designers, assemblers, and testers. Everyone is on the same page, and there is no scope for confusion except to speed things up. With improved cross-channel communication, total production time and efficiency will be automatically improved.

Cost reduction – Improved communication will naturally lead to cost reduction as there is less retrofitting and rework.

Being trained and certified to use IPC standards has several advantages according to IPC. These include:

Standardized training program to enhance understanding and application.

Understand acceptance and rejection criteria

Teaching methods and processes to enhance skills

Teaching techniques that apply standards to production.

IPC standards fall into several categories. The IPC-A-610 is the most commonly used one. Certain elements covered by IPC-A-610 include, but are not limited to:

heat sink

solder

Terminal connection

Component installation

Chip components

endpoints

array

amination conditions

Some of the fundamentals of the IPC-A-610 class are:

Level 1

This applies to general purpose electronics where the main component function is required to be completed. Therefore, this is considered to be one of the most lenient categories in terms of allowing potential defects and is therefore not an OEM required category.

Level 2

This is a standard often used for non-critical components, where long-term reliability is a prerequisite, although this class allows for a certain degree of defect.

Level 3

This is the highest standard available for more critical PCB components. Therefore, excellent CEM suppliers will produce products that meet level 3 standards. There is a real need for higher costs because of the additional inspection required and the need to slow down the surface mount to ensure the required mount accuracy. Conversely, it may sometimes be necessary to allow a higher degree of scrapping.

The advantage of using IPC standards also stems from the fact that they are globally recognised and have been tested in a wide range of industries. However, according to IPC, if there is any conflict in product acceptance, the following order of priority applies:

-Purchases that are agreed and documented between the customer and supplier

– the main drawings

– the IPC – A – 610

IPC also defines conditions that help improve the process. These conditions include:

Goal condition — This is a near-perfect, if not always achievable, ideal goal condition

Acceptable conditions – Although this condition may not be ideal because of possible trade-offs between design and performance, this condition preserves reliability.

Defective status – This is where the product is rejected because it needs rework or repair

Process specification conditions – these conditions are not known to affect the shape or function of the product, but are dependent on materials, design or machine-related factors.

Then, in essence, IPC standards help manufacturers clearly understand customer needs and meet expectations. As a customer, you can choose the IPC standard grade and be assured that the product will meet your requirements.