IPC Standards – Why Professionals Must Understand J Standard Soldering and Other IPC Standards

1. IPC Standards – Why Professionals Must Understand J Standard Soldering and Other IPC Standards

3. In the super-competitive world of electronics manufacturers, consistent production of electronic devices is everything. If you’re not a consistent manufacturer of electrical components and devices, your market value is zero, no matter how good your previously manufactured goods may be. That’s why all electronics industry professionals, from soldering professionals to engineering supervisors at manufacturing plants, need to abide by strict standards of consistency. Since the electronics industry is connected on a global scale and companies, depend on each other for parts and components, having each company set up its own set of standards is illogical. Imagine Cisco Systems and Texas Instruments sharing electronic components. Each component is differently manufactured and doesn’t suit the other party’s strict requirements. The global electronics industry would shut down if that’s how manufacturers operated. Thankfully, the IPC does the job of setting industry standards for all electronics manufacturing companies. The IPC Standards The Institute for Printed Circuits or IPC (also known as the Association Connecting Electronics Industries) was formed by only six PCB manufacturers in 1957. Their goal was to ensure all industry professionals follow certain guidelines while manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs). Hence, they could share information and components with each other easily. Since 1957, the IPC has gone from strength to strength. Every leading electronics manufacturer in the world relies on the IPC to navigate them through new technologies and industry demands. The IPC meets these requirements by regularly publishing official standards. These standards cover every aspect of manufacturing PCBs and electronic devices in general. From soldering professionals to CEOs of manufacturing companies, everyone must abide by these guidelines if they want to create products of ‘acceptable’ quality.

4. In 2020, the IPC launched the “Build Electronics Better” initiative in an effort to improve technical exchanges between manufacturers from across the world. A key part of this future-oriented initiative is ensuring every industry professional is well-versed in the IPC standards that apply to them. For instance, the standard called ‘IPC-TA-722’ deals specifically with welding technology. All professional welders need to abide by the IPC-TA-722 at their workplaces. The “Build Electronics Better” initiative is partly designed to address the rapid increase in demand for PCBs and other electrical components over the next few years. The worldwide PCB market is set to be valued at $89.7 billion by 2024. Hence, all industry professionals need to be at the top of their game, especially when it comes to mastering some of the most important IPC standards. The J Standard The IPC standard called J-STD-001 or “Requirements for Soldered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies” is commonly referred to as the “J Standard” in the world of PCB manufacturing. It’s the fundamental piece of document all electrical assembly and manufacturing professionals must know. This is comprehensive standard focuses essentially on solder training. It describes acceptable materials for soldering, methods, and verification criteria for manufacturing industry-standard soldered interconnections.

5. The J standard demands industry professionals to highlight process control in detailed ways. For instance, there’s a whole chapter dedicated to ultrasonic cleaning called ‘Cleaning Process Requirements.’ Industry professionals who master the J Standard receive a strong foundational knowledge of basic industry demands. This standard evolves with time. In September 2020, the eighth revision to the standard was released. All industry professionals must know master the ‘H’ revision of the J-STD-001 to stay up to date with industry demands. To do so, industry professionals must apply for certification at IPC-certified training centers. After passing the certification, they can become certified IPC specialists in the IPC J-STD-001 standard or, as we like to call it – masters of J-standard soldering! Other Important Standards Once professionals master J Standard Soldering, understanding other standards like the IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620, and the IPC-7711/IPC-7721 becomes a lot easier. That’s because all of these standards share some common concepts and terminologies. The J-STD-001 standard is almost like a gateway to all the other important IPC standards. Their ability to navigate IPC standards quickly and efficiently improves, and so does their ability to apply the J standard to specific industrial requirements. Here are some other interesting IPC standards – IPC-7525 – This IPC standard deals with soldering stencils. It discusses how surface mount stencils with adhesive coatings should be manufactured. A must-know for advanced soldering professionals.

6. IPC-TA-722, IPC-SC-60A, and IPC-SA-61A – These standards deal mostly with welding processes. The IPC-TA-722 is a dedicated guide to welding technology covering topics like general welding, acceptable welding materials, manual welding processes, etc. The IPC-SC-60A tells welding professionals how to use solvents for cleaning in manual and automated welding processes. The IPC-SA-61A standard focuses more on post-welding semi-aqueous cleaning processes. IPC-ESD-2020 – This relatively new standard covers topics like implementing and maintaining electrostatic discharge control procedures. IPC-7530 – This IPC standard dictates temperature requirements for batch soldering processes (e.g., reflow soldering). The long list of standards seems confusing? There are hundreds of other IPC standards! Don’t worry, start by mastering the J Standard first, and then all of these interconnected standards will feel easier to understand! Source URL: http://businessnewsthisweek.com/business/ipc- standards-why-professionals-must-understand-j-standard-soldering- and-other-ipc-standards/