If you have even a weeks worth of experience in PCB design and procurement you likely have heard the term IPC-610 pop up more than once. What is “IPC” you might be wondering? IPC is a trade organization that has standardized assembly and production requirements of electronic equipment and assemblies. This includes PCBs, PCBAs, harnesses, and other electronic devices. It establishes the consensus on what makes a good and safe assembly which is why it is important to be familiar with the standards.
The Standards
Faulty electronics may result in damage to the product and may put the end user at risk. By following the standards, this risk is minimized. The Industry Association has over 4000 members that make and design PCBs and assemblies, which include but are not limited to the following industries:
- Military and aerospace
- Automotive
- IT
- Industrial equipment
- Medical equipment and devices
- Telecommunications
They meet to discuss standards and the ongoing changes of our industry. As a result, we rely upon them to create a basis to judge assemblies. The benefits of using this standard are extensive. By using IPC standards, customers and manufacturers are able to utilize the same language when discussing quality concerns. It also establishes a pass fail criteria for assemblies and reduces rework costs since production will know when there is a discrepancy and will halt production before that error is duplicated across all your boards.
IPC-610 and PCBAs
IPC-610 is the standard for electronic assemblies. It defines the criteria for solder, fabrication, among other manufacturing steps. Its split up into 3 different classes of quality depending on the end use of the board. This will be elaborated on in a future blog post.
Vinatronic trains all employees on these standards and builds all boards to Class 2 Standards and has the ability to build to Class 3 when specified. If you are having difficulty choosing a class, feel free to contact our staff for a free consultation!