The IPC (Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits) is the world’s leading association that regulates how Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), providers of electronics manufacturing services (EMS), Printed Circuit Board manufacturers, cable and wiring harness manufacturers and other professionals in the electronics manufacturing industry need to behave to improve the quality of electronic products they create.
IPC members carry out these regulations by compelling everyone involved in these industries to follow strict IPC standards. All professionals in the electronics manufacturing industry need to receive certifications, education, and training to master these standards. The thought leaders of the global electronics manufacturing industry frequently team up with the IPC to revise and update these standards.
So, if you’re planning to become a member of the electronics manufacturing industry, be it as a soldering professional or a quality assurance engineer, you need to be well-versed in certain IPC standards. Some of the most important standards new soldering and
Electronics assembly professionals need to attend training for include
- IPC-A-610H – Learn about how to accept or reject electronic components via visual assessments.
- IPC-J-STD-001 – Learn about the basic hand soldering criteria that industry professionals need to follow inside manufacturing plants.
- IPC-A-600 – Learn how to inspect bare PCBs before and after they are assembled.
- IPC-7711/7721 – Learn how to rework and repair soldered interconnections and SMT packages.
- IPC-A-620 – Learn the fundamentals of cable and wire harness assembly.
Of all these standards, the IPC-A-610 and the IPC-J-STD-001 are the most fundamental. Mastering the IPC-A-610 document in particular (also known as the Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies) is extremely important for new soldering and electronics assembly professionals as it’s the most extensively used inspection standard in the manufacture of commercial electronics.
The document clearly describes the minimally acceptable conditions for different types of soldered interconnections. If you’re a new soldering or electronics assembly professional and you want to create high-quality electronic assemblies, you’ll need to follow this highly important electronics assembly acceptance standard.
What is IPC-A-610 Training and Certification?
Receiving training on the IPC-A-610 document enables new soldering and electronics assembly students to gain a working knowledge of what quality of work is expected of them once they enter manufacturing plants as professionals. Well-trained soldering and electronics assembly students are able to use the IPC-A-610 document to safeguard the quality of the work they produce.
Students who complete this education from certified IPC-A-610H Training centers obtain IPC-A-610 certification. This certification enables them to verify their skills and knowledge to employers. Companies that help their soldering and electronics assembly employees attain this training are able to showcase to their clients that they have the essential expertise in quality assurance standards.
Overall, the value of IPC-A-610H training programs far outweighs the costs. A company where all members of the workforce, from soldering professionals to quality assurance experts, are certified is likelier to attract more partners, customers, and vendors from the electronics manufacturing industry.
What Is IPC-A-610 ‘H’ Certification?
IPC-A-610 document gets revised every couple of years. The latest “H” revision is now being used as the most important electronics assembly acceptance standard across the electronics manufacturing industry. The “H” revision to the IPC-A-610 standard was released on 10/7/2020, and it features many updates. Leaders of the global electronics manufacturing industry from 29 countries came together to revise this document.
Every top manufacturing plant in the world will now follow this revised document. That’s why training for this revised standard is extremely crucial for inspectors, operators, soldering professionals, electronics assembly experts, and any other electronics manufacturing professional who needs to know the latest acceptance criteria for electronic assemblies.
Why are Companies Investing in IPC-A-610H Certification Training Programs?
Companies involved in the electronics manufacturing industry can benefit a lot from having workforces that have been through IPC-A-610H training. The more IPC-A-610H-certified workers your workforce has, the better it is for your company. That’s because any member of the trained and certified staff can tackle the responsibility of ensuring the reliability/quality of the electronic assemblies being manufactured by the company.
The latest “H” version of the IPC-A-610 document is the ultimate reference tool for workers when they determine the quality of electronic assemblies and products. Having this document readily available inside your mind makes it easier to refer to it whenever there’s a need to assess acceptable soldering techniques inside the manufacturing plant.
On the other hand, if most members of your workforce don’t have the latest IPC-A-610 certifications, your company could seriously fall behind in regard to the quality assurance levels of your manufactured products. Be it a quality assurance supervisor or a soldering professional, learning the IPC-A-610H principles is vital.
Obtaining IPC-A-610H Certification is Easy
IPC-A-610H training typically covers basic topics like essential soldering requirements, PCB handling requirements, assessing component damage, reviewing cleaning and coating procedures, electronic static discharge considerations, etc.
So, understanding the contents of the standard is very easy as long as the training programs are being conducted by instructors who have been officially recognized by the IPC as IPC-A-610H specialists.
