One way is to use a standard convention such as the Association Connecting Electronics Industries, or IPC Standards. The IPC is a global trade association for the electronic interconnect industry (www.ipc.org) covering design, Printed Circuit Board manufacturing and electronics assembly. Specific topics covered include: Acceptance, Fabrication, Flexible Circuits, General, High Density / Fine Pitch, High Speed / Frequency, Materials, Quality / Test. Some of the main IPC Standards addressing rigid Printed Circuit Boards are highlighted in bold text below:
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Acceptance |
IPC-1-600 is one of the most widely used documents, along with the IPC-A-610 (Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies) and J-STD-001 (Requirements for Soldered Electrical & Electronic Assemblies). IPC-6010 covers qualification and performance of printed circuit boards (rigid and flexible) as well as multichip modules and high density boards. IPC-TR-40 Thermal characteristics of Multilayer boards. IPC-TR-551 Quality assessment of PCBs used for mounting and interconnecting. IPC-ML-960 Qualification and performance specifications for mass lamination panels. |
| Fabrication |
Specifications for drilling, NC data, board dimensions & tolerances, and molded interconnection. IPC-2615 covers Printed Board Dimensions and Tolerances. |
| Flexible Circuits |
Specification and qualification information is contained in IPC-6013A. Guidelines & materials used for flexible boards in IPC-4202 to 4204. IPC-M-102 contains 13 separate standards on performance, qualification, design, assembly, etc. |
| General |
Addresses packaging, documentation requirements, clean room assessments, and trouble-shooting. IPC-PE-7404 Troubleshooting guide for printed board manufacturer and assembly. IPC-T-50G Terms and definitions for interconnecting and packaging electronic circuits. |
| High Density Interconnect | Specification requirements for HDI (High Density Interconnect) and micro-via materials. |
| High Speed/High Freq | Guidelines and specifications for design and fabrication of high speed circuitry including impedance controlled circuits, high speed logic design, microwave boards, etc. |
| Materials-Foils | Defines the general requirements, qualification, inspection, and testing of metals used in production of printed circuit boards. |
| Materials – Laminate | Same as above, except for laminates and non-metallic raw materials. |
| Quality / Test |
Detailed descriptions of test and inspection procedures. IPC-TM-650 is the complete guide for test methods for printed circuit boards and connectors. IPC-PC-90 Statistical process control. IPC-QS-95 ISO9000 quality system. |
See www.ipc.org for more complete information or to purchase various standards.
