IPC Standards

As a design, manufacturing and assembly manufacturer of printed circuit boards (PCBs), it is very important to ensure quality throughout development, prototyping and production is critical and requires careful attention at all phases. Performing everything according to IPC standards and our capabilities can help.

IPC is a trade association whose aim is to standardize the assembly and production requirements of electronic equipment and assemblies. It was founded in 1957 as the Institute of Printed Circuits. Its name was later changed to the Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits to highlight the expansion from bare boards to packaging and electronic assemblies. In 1999, the organization formally changed its name to IPC with the accompanying tagline, Association Connecting Electronics Industries.

IPC is known globally for its standards. It publishes the most widely used acceptability standards in the electronics industry.

 

IPC Performance Classes

 

There are three general classes have been established to reflect progressive increases in sophistication, functional performance requirements and testing/inspection frequency. It should be recognized that there may be an overlap of equipment categories in different classes. The user has the responsibility to specify in the contract or purchase order, the performance class required for each product and shall indicate any exceptions to specific parameters, where appropriate.

 

• IPC Class I -General Electronic Products: Class one includes consumer products and some computer and computer peripherals suitable for applications where cosmetic imperfections are not important and the major requirement is function of the completed printed board.
• IPC Class II -Dedicated Service Electronic Products: Class two includes communications equipment, sophisticated business machines, instruments where high performance and extended life are required and for which uninterrupted service is desired but not critical. Certain cosmetic imperfections are allowed.
• IPC Class III -High Reliability or Harsh Operating Environment Electronic Products: Class Three includes the equipment and products where continued performance or performance on demand is critical. Equipment downtime cannot be tolerated and must function when required such as in life support items or flight control systems. Printed boards in this class are suitable for applications where high levels of assurance are required and service is essential.

 

Please note that the final performance class for printed board assemblies (assembled, soldered, cleaned and tested) cannot be any greater than the performance class called out for the bare printed board. That is, in order to obtain in Class 3 with the assembly printed board assembly, an IPC Class 3 recognition of the bare printed board (anything with a Class 2 or 1 with the bare printed board prevents obtaining a Class 3 with the printed board assembly) must be first obtained.

 

 

IPC Producibility Levels

 

When appropriate, IPC standards (IPC-2221, IPC-2222 and IPC-7351) provide three design producibility levels of features, tolerances, measurements, assembly and testing of completion or verification of the manufacturing process. These reflect progressive increases in the sophistication of tooling, materials and/or processing and therefore, progressive increases in fabrication cost.

• Level A: General Design Producibility -Preferred
• Level B: Moderate Design Producibility -Standard
• Level C: High Design Producibility -Reduced

 

The producibility levels are not to be interpreted as a design requirement, but a method of communicating the degree of difficulty of a feature between design and fabrication/assembly facilities. The use of one level for a specific feature does not mean that other features must be of the same level. Selection should always be based on the minimum need, while recognized that the precision, performance, conductive pattern density, equipment, assembly and testing requirements determine the design producibility level. The numbers listed within the numerous tables are to be used as a guide in determining what the level of producibility will be for any feature. The specific requirement for any feature that must be controlled on the end item shall be specified on the master drawing of the printed board or the printed board assembly drawing.

 

Common IPC Standards You Should Know

 

As designers, purchasers and manufacturers, we can not know all IPC standards since they are really many, but we should know below listed common IPC standards.

 

IPC-A-600J Acceptability of Printed Boards

 

The definitive illustrated guide to printed board acceptability! This four-color document provides photographs and illustrations of the target, acceptable and nonconforming conditions that are either internally or externally observable on bare printed boards. Make sure your operators, inspectors, and engineers have the most current industry consensus information. With 120 new or revised photographs and illustrations, revision J provides new coverage on topics such as microvia contact dimensions, plating, voiding and fill, along with updated and expanded coverage for dielectric removal (etchback, smear and wicking), plating folds, surface plating for edge connectors, SMT and BGA pads, marking, hole registration, delamination, cap plating, via fill and flexible circuits. The document synchronizes to the acceptability requirements expressed in IPC-6012D and IPC-6013C. Supersedes IPC-A-600H.

 

IPC-A-610G Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies

 

IPC-A-610 is the most widely used electronics assembly acceptance document. Updated with participants from 17 countries providing input and expertise, this document brings the latest criteria along with many new and revised graphics to the industry. This is a must-have for inspectors, operators and others with an interest in the acceptance criteria for electronic assemblies. IPC-A-610 is developed in synergy with J-STD-001, and for the first time with this revision, IPC/WHMA-A-620.

 

IPC/WHMA-A-620C Requirements and Acceptance for Cable and Wire Harness Assemblies

 

This is the only industry-consensus standard for Requirements and Acceptance of Cable and Wire Harness Assemblies, and it includes new sections for safety wiring, safety cable, grommets, and raceways along with updated information across many of the sections. With over 700 photographs and illustrations, this standard describes materials, methods, tests and acceptance criteria for producing crimped, mechanically secured and soldered interconnections and the related assembly activities associated with cable and harness assemblies. IPC/WHMA-A-620C was developed by IPC and the Wire Harness Manufacturers Association (WHMA).

 

IPC-2220-FAM Design Standards for Printed Boards

 

This is a family of specification for board design.

• IPC-2221 Generic Standard on Printed Board Design
• IPC-2222 Sectional Design Standard for Rigid Organic Printed Boards
• IPC-2223 Sectional Design Standard for Flexible/Rigid-Flexible Printed Boards
• IPC-2225 Sectional Design Standard for Organic Multichip Modules (MCM-L) and MCM-L Assemblies
• IPC-2226 Sectional Design Standard for High Density Interconnect (HDI) Boards

 

IPC-6010-FAM Printed Board Performance Specifications

The family of documents includes qualification and performance specification standards for all major types of printed boards.

• IPC-6011: Generic Performance Specification for Printed Boards
• IPC-6012: Qualification and Performance Specification for Rigid Printed Boards
• IPC-6013: Qualification and Performance Specification for Flexible Printed Boards
• IPC-6015: Qualification and Performance Specification for Organic Multichip Module (MCM-L) Mounting & Interconnecting Structures
• IPC-6017: Qualification and Performance Specification for Printed Boards Containing Embedded Passive Devices
• IPC-6018: Qualification and Performance Specification for High Frequency (Microwave) Printed Boards

 

IPC-6012D Qualification and Performance Specification for Rigid Printed Boards

 

This specification covers qualification and performance of rigid printed boards, including single-sided, double-sided, with or without plated-through holes, multilayer with or without blind/buried vias and metal core boards. It addresses final finish and surface plating coating requirements, conductors, holes/vias, frequency of acceptance testing and quality conformance as well as electrical, mechanical and environmental requirements. Revision D incorporates many new requirements in areas such as HASL coatings, alternative surface finishes, edge plating, marking, microvia capture and target lands, copper cap plating of filled holes, copper filled microvias and dielectric removal. For use with IPC-6011. Supersedes IPC-6012C and IPC-6016.

 

J-STD-001G Requirements for Soldered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies

J-STD-001 is recognized globally for its criteria on soldering processes and materials. Updated with participants from 18 countries providing input and expertise, this document brings the latest criteria along with new graphics to the industry for ease of use and comprehension. This is a must-have for those in the electronics industry with an interest in the process and acceptance criteria for electrical and electronic assemblies. J-STD-001 is developed in synergy with IPC-A-610 and is supported by IPC-HDBK-001 for those wanting additional information and explanation on the requirements.

 

IPC-7711/21C Rework, Modification and Repair of Electronic Assemblies

 

This guide provides procedures for rework, repair and modification of printed board assemblies. Included in this revision are the procedures previously released as change pages, an updated general information and common procedures section, new procedures for BGAs using focused IR Reflow Systems with integral preheater and general updates to all other procedures.