All standards published by the IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries) are designed to ensure electronics industry professionals remain on the same page while manufacturing electronic components and devices. Professionals who master these standards receive IPC Certifications that are recognized globally. Almost all Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) in the world are manufactured and assembled as per the IPC?s standards.
There are numerous IPC standards that dictate different aspects of PCB manufacturing processes. For instance, the IPC-A-630 standard outlines the acceptable ways of inspecting and testing electronic circuits. The IPC 7711/7721C standard deals purely with reworks and repairs of electronic assemblies. All manufacturing companies mustn?t just give their employees access to these standards, but they must also keep them regularly updated.
As the electronics manufacturing industry evolves, so do the IPC standards. Hence, it?s vital for all manufacturing companies to give their personnel up-to-date training experiences. Plus, almost all IPC certifications expire after twelve to twenty-four months (on average), and professionals need re-training and re-certification.
Overlooking these professional requirements doesn?t make any sense for the companies that need trained personnel who can consistently apply these standards to their day to day tasks. It?s estimated that over 300,000 professionals across thousands of companies across the globe have obtained IPC certifications.
Of all IPC standards, the IPC-A-610 standard is the fundamental standard that all electronics industry professionals must know. The standard has been updated numerous times, so manufacturers need to ensure their workers know about the latest industry standards and requirements.
What is the IPC-A-610 Standard, and Why is It So Important?
The IPC-A-610 standard (also known as ?Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies?) is a fundamental set of guidelines that all electronics industry professionals need to abide by while judging the quality or ?acceptability? of electronic assemblies. Individuals who receive the IPC-A-610 certification are able to understand basic industry criteria like satisfactory soldering techniques or acceptable surface mounting processes.
This certification is especially important for professionals who are responsible for ensuring the reliability of electronic assemblies. Manufacturing supervisors, quality control specialists, engineering supervisors, etc., need to be constantly aware of the modifications to industry requirements.
The IPC-A-610 standard recently received its eights update as the IPC-A-610 ?H? version was launched in September 2020. So, there are a lot of details industry professionals need to understand if they want to be valuable members of a global electronics manufacturing industry.
Getting IPC-A-610 Training and Certification
The first step to getting IPC-A-610 certification is finding a training company with an established reputation for providing comprehensive training programs by IPC-certified instructors.
- After partnering with such a training service provider, industry professionals have to go through two tiers of certification- complete the training course and then take a certification examination.
- Students are required to have at least 5th-grade level reading and writing skills to enrol for these training programs.
- Professionals can opt to skip the training and just take the test to earn certification or re-certification.
- This training doesn?t involve any hand soldering instructions.
- Receiving the IPC-A-610 certification also enables professionals to pursue training jobs. They can choose to start training application specialists about the IPC-A-610 standard.
More importantly, after receiving the certification, professionals gain a complete understanding of the latest IPC-A-610 standards. This expertise on the standard is recognized globally.
Be it an individual or a manufacturing company ? getting certification and re-certification demonstrates a commitment to the nonstop improvement of skills, product quality, and product reliability. For manufacturing companies, investing in the process of certifying their employees means ?
- They?re able to meet the globally recognized IPC standards. Anyone can check whether a company invests in IPC certification. So, investing in employee training and certification is essentially a matter of maintaining an edge over competitors.
- The manufacturers can satisfy the requirements of electronic components suppliers and vice versa. The inter-industry relationships grow stronger once all parties become compliant with industry standards.
- Professionals with IPC-A-610 certification are able to craft precise quality control practices that help manufacturers detect and eliminate defects long before they evolve into expensive repairs or replacements.
- Fostering employees? professional development. Getting IPC-A-610 certification means you?re getting enhanced knowledge. Your professional prospects are far brighter once you?re IPC-certified.
Manufacturing companies must stop viewing IPC training for employees as added expenses and see them as development programs that without fail yield positive results in the long run. These positive results far outweigh the costs.?
Getting IPC-A-610 Training and Certification During COVID
For the electronics manufacturing industry, 2021 will be a ?year for recovery? as jobs and demand for electronic components will increase. Manufacturing companies and professionals wondering how to get IPC 610 certification during the pandemic are in luck. Several leading training providers are offering IPC-A-610 training and certification over the internet. These online courses enable industry professionals to avoid unnecessary halts of their careers and stay up to date with the newest amendments to the IPC-A-610 standard.
