What are IPC Standards?
In PCB manufacturing and assembly, IPC standard or IPC class are often mentioned, but what are them? Let's start it from IPC.
IPC was formerly known as the Institute of Printed Circuits. It was established by 6 printed circuit board manufacturers in 1957. After achieving great expansion, it was renamed “Association Connecting Electronics Industries” in 1999, but still uses the abbreviation of IPC.
Now the members of IPC have expanded to more than 4,000 companies, and the IPC standards formulated by them have also been widely adopted, becoming the universal standards for the electronics manufacturing industry.
You can see the development history of IPC from the official video below.
IPC standards cover every process of PCB design, production, and assembly. The most critical standards include:
1. IPC-A-610, acceptability of electronic components
2. IPC-A-600, acceptability of printed boards
3. J-STD-001, requirements for soldering electrical and electronic components
4. IPC-7711/IPC-7721, rework of electronic components/printed board and repair of electronic components and modify
From the perspective of customers, IPC-A-600 and IPC-A-610 are the 2 most important IPC standards. They classify the quality of products, which is the IPC Class we often say, including Class I, II, and III :
-
IPC Class I General Electronics: Includes products suitable for applications whose primary requirement is full component functionality. It is worth noting that IPC does not explain the reliability and key characteristics of such products.
-
IPC Class II Dedicated Service Electronics: Includes products that require continuous performance and extended service life, and require uninterrupted service, but are not critical. Class II products can be found in many non-safety automotive electronics and electronics for harsh environments.
-
IPC Class III High-Performance Electronics: Includes the following products: Continuous performance or on-demand performance is critical, equipment downtime is not tolerated, and the end-use environment may be very harsh, and the equipment must be able to function normally when needed, such as life support systems and other critical systems. This category is most common in industries such as healthcare and aerospace.
In the PCB manufacturing+ industry, IPC Class II is currently the general default option. Of course, for special applications or requirements, PS Electronics will also implement the IPC Class III requirements to ensure the output of high-quality PCB or PCBA.
Limited by the length of this article, the content cannot be described in detail. Please refer to the following full versions of IPC-A-600G and IPC-A-610F.
Why do we execute IPC standards?
1. IPC standards are developed with the participation of tens of thousands of industry practitioners, providing a high degree of authority and reliability, which helps us manufacturers control the quality and reliability of the final products.
2. IPC standards have created a common language that can be followed by the global electronics industry. It has become a bridge connected to upstream suppliers and customers, and has increased production efficiency.
3. Every IPC standard must be strictly verified and tried. Working in accordance with IPC standards can reduce the cost loss caused by non-standard processes.
In PS Electronics, IPC standards are strictly enforced and use cooperatively to meet more flexible and demanding requirements.
