IPC Class 2 or 3? The customer should be the only standard

IPC standard is one of the key aspects of board quality control, a field in which an incredible number of abbreviations and requirements appear. There are standards and certifications such as IPC 1, IPC 2, IPC 3, ISO 9000, ISO 14001, CMI 700 and CMI 900 devices, CoC reports, RoHS, and UL certification.

Nevertheless, a human is still the decisive variable in the whole process. Ordinary interpersonal communication helps solve possible problems and shortcomings, while the human factor can also be the source of errors and is by far the most common cause of possible complications. Meeting the required IPC standard is therefore not always enough to guarantee customer satisfaction.

Jaroslava Sedlackova from Gatema PCB, who has been dealing with the quality of manufactured printed circuit boards for twelve years and is also responsible for communication with customers in the event of complaints, knows this well. “Every customer is different. Some are accommodating, while others are more demanding. For some, it is enough that the board meets one of the standards; others insist on a number of details. For us, the only real standard is the customer, or rather, his satisfaction,” she says at the beginning of the interview.

Since last September, you have been producing boards to the IPC Class 3 standard. Has the IPC standard brought more fundamental changes to quality control?

From one point of view, yes, because it requires more successive inspections and partial measurements. We fill in protocols covering adhesion using the grid method, print resistance, and delamination. Thus, there is a very low probability that a defective board would reach the final inspection or even the customer. We detect everything during the production process. From the other point of view, however, the IPC standard itself is not omnipotent. If the customer requires anything non-standard, we meet their needs.

Does it concern, for example, printing, about the quality of which we recently wrote?

Yes, this is one of the typical examples. The IPC standard allows us to print with new methods that are more environmentally friendly and cheaper. But many clients continue to rely on screen printing technology, so we still have it in our portfolio. On the other hand, there are customers for whom the printing of the board itself is not essential at all, because everything is available electronically today.

For years, Gatema has placed great emphasis on its ability to produce prototype boards quickly. Does speed make quality control more challenging?

First of all, speed must never come at the expense of quality. We have come a long way in terms of both our processes and technology. We have state-of-the-art machines and a production information system, which means that technological errors are kept to an absolute minimum.

However, there is still the human factor. Sometimes a defective board goes unnoticed in the sales department and also passes through the TPV department, while in other cases, an error occurs during production. When this happens, we run into problems because customers always expect us to deliver the boards quickly. We then have to start production again, which causes delays. Customers have other processes that depend on the board, so this can be very frustrating for them.

How do you handle these situations?

You must never bury your head in the sand. We also know from our customers that some of our competitors stop communicating in such situations. They don’t reply to emails or answer the phone; they simply wait and hope that the problem will resolve itself. I insist that this must never happen at Gatema.

If we know that we have produced a board with, for example, an abrasion on the solder mask that does not affect its functionality in any way, we take a picture of it and send it to the customer in advance. The customer can then assess the issue, and together we propose a solution. At the same time, we answer phone calls and handle complaints as helpfully as possible.

It is something that is not easily reflected in figures, turnover, or the fulfilment of targets, but it says a great deal about a company’s culture. We are proud of that.

What quality controls are actually part of the standard production process?

The introduction of effective quality control begins with the initial customer requirements and the need to clarify all product parameters in accordance with the IPC standard. We try to make sure that the sales or TPV department does not allow inappropriate designs into production, as this could cause material damage and, at the same time, lead to delays. The production itself is organized in such a way that each operator is responsible for their own activities.

We have two key intermediate steps. The first is a visual inspection, during which the data sent by the customer is compared with the data on the board and the board we have produced. Of course, the quality of drilling, etching, and plating is also checked. This is how we inspect all boards. Then there is the second important check – the electrical test, during which the functionality of the board is verified.

The quality department has a CMI 700 device at its disposal, which helps measure the plating thickness in the holes and on the surface. We also have a CMI 900 X-ray device, which is used to check the thickness of the applied surface finishes, whether gold, tin, or chemical tin.

The most important and final inspection that every order must pass is the final outgoing inspection. The task of the quality control staff is to compare the completed order with the production documentation, measure the dimensions of the boards, and prepare the required quantity of pieces ordered by the customer. The result of the final inspection is the issuance of a quality certificate for each order. Other protocols that we supply are based on customer requirements and the applicable IPC standard.

What does the regular report include?

By default, it includes the date of the final outgoing inspection, the quality certificate, the customer’s name, our identification number, and details of what and how the order was tested according to the applicable IPC standard. Customers can also request CoC reports, which indicate what material the order was manufactured from, what solder mask was used, and include measurements of selected unplated holes. We also have UL and RoHS certifications.

Some customers require metallographic cross-section analysis and related protocols. A board is taken from the order, cut, cast, and ground. This allows us to determine everything the customer requires, including drilling quality, connection width, solder mask thickness, and plating thickness. These metallographic cross-sections also help us investigate and resolve complaints and verify compliance with the IPC standard. We have also purchased a new microscope specifically for this type of analysis.

Two years ago, we started producing impedance-controlled boards. At that time, we had to purchase a ZMETRIX measuring device, which is used for these specific orders to control impedance coupons and verify that they meet the required parameters and IPC standard requirements.

You work in a field that is predominantly male and at the same time does not sound completely seductive at first glance. What do you enjoy about your work?

The fact that I don’t do the same work every day. Every order is different and has its own unique design. As we say in the quality department, we often play with “puzzles.” The operator usually does not see the detailed layout, but we often work with boards measuring just 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm, which are placed on a base and soldered.

We can also appreciate the originality of some designers who place a PCB in the shape of a cow or create a photo of the customer’s team from individual PCB elements. And praise from customers is also very motivating. For example, I was recently called by a customer we have been working with for a long time and who, for me, is a kind of benchmark for the level of quality we strive to achieve.

He told me: “I’ve spoken to your salesperson, but I don’t know if he has told you that we really appreciate the way you handle complaints. There are companies that don’t respond for a month or two. It is also an art to resolve complaints sensibly.”

These are the moments when I know we have done a good job and that we are meeting not only the customer’s expectations but also the requirements of the IPC standard.