PCBA welding standard
The supply chain of PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) processing covers many operational links from component procurement, circuit board production, patch processing, plug-ins, program firing, PCBA testing to packaging logistics. In this huge supply chain, the inspection of PCBA welding standards for product quality has always been a complex issue. Especially the IPC electronic acceptance standard IPC-A-610E, which is widely used in the industry, although it provides detailed PCBA pre-factory standards, due to its large and detailed content, for ordinary factories, compliance with it one by one may lead to great labor costs and challenges to production efficiency.
1. ICT or functional test passed the standard
The ultimate goal of PCBA welding standard inspection is to ensure that each PCBA board passes the inspection before leaving the factory. Among them, one of the most widely used inspection methods is ICT (In-Circuit Test) circuit inspection. By using a simple ICT test stand, the PCBA board produced can be tested for 100% circuit connectivity. Through ICT testing, the PCBA board can be regarded as a finished product in the factory with a 90% probability.
2. Appearance standard
Each PCBA processing plant has an OQA (Outgoing Quality Assurance) factory inspection post, which is responsible for visual inspection of the PCBA board before leaving the factory. These inspectors will carefully check the appearance of the PCBA board to ensure that there are no obvious reliability problems, such as insufficient solder joint thickness or damaged components.
3. Aging standard
In order to ensure the quality of the PCBA board, it needs to be aging tested. Usually, this involves frequent power-on and power-off or long-term power-up operation, which is based on the PCBA board firing program. In addition, professional instruments can also be used to detect electromagnetic compatibility, power supply/voltage input and output signal stability, etc. Although this test takes a lot of time, it still needs to be sampled to a certain extent. Of course, under customer requirements, more stringent aging tests may be required, and PCBA processing plants are required to actively cooperate.
Simplification combined with experience
IPC standards are an important reference for PCBA welding standards, but in actual production, technicians need to flexibly use these standards according to time and conditions. Sometimes, IPC standards are significantly lower than customer requirements, so moderate adjustments need to be made according to customer needs. In actual operation, experience also plays a key role, and technicians need to rely on rich experience to ensure the pass-through rate of the PCBA board.
Through the efficient inspection of the main links, the PCBA processing plant can realize the production of high-quality products, while improving production efficiency and ensuring the smooth operation of the supply chain.
5 frequently asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What does PCBA mean?
PCBA processing refers to the process of soldering components to a printed circuit board to create a complete circuit board assembly.
2. Why is the PCBA processing supply chain so complicated?
The PCBA processing supply chain involves multiple links, including component procurement, circuit board production, patch processing, plug-ins, program firing, testing, and packaging logistics, so it has become quite complicated.
3. Why is ICT testing a common PCBA inspection method?
ICT testing can quickly and accurately detect the circuit connectivity of PCBA boards, so it is widely used in PCBA production.
4. Why do I need to perform an aging test of the PCBA board?
The aging test can simulate the performance of the PCBA board in long-term use to ensure the reliability and stability of the product.
5. Why do you need to simplify PCBA inspection standards?
IPC standards are very detailed, and compliance one by one may lead to high labor costs and inefficiency. Simplifying standards can improve production efficiency while ensuring product quality.