How PCB designers can use IPC specifications for DFM

 

The first thing that comes to mind when people think about PCB design and quality is inevitably IPC specifications, a series of hundreds of industry standard documents which cover multiple stages of the electronics product development cycle. 

 

IPC specifications categorize PCBs into “performance classes.” These classes are so commonly known to PCB designers and manufacturers, as well as companies that incorporate PCBs into their products, that just noting a class range provides general understanding of the overall type of work that the PCB is intended for. 

 

Class 1 represents general off the shelf electronic products, such as the PCB inside a washing machine that costs $5 to build. Class 2 boards are built for dedicated service, and Class 3 are for high reliability or harsh operating environment electronic products, with tight tolerances, multiple layers, and refined electronics. 

 

In addition to classes, IPC standards also delineate producibility levels for the density of the design being created. Level A is for general producibility, Level B is for standard producibility, and Level C is for high design producibility. 

 

For DFM, designers often refer to the IPC standards and ask how to include them in their EDA design rule checks (DRC) list, ideally through a plug-and-play solution that will result in a board design which automatically conforms to the required class. 

This is possible now, supported by Xpedition/PADS Professional Premium DFM or pcbflow.com

 

IPC helps OEMs, EMS, PCB, cable and wire harness manufacturers and suppliers build electronics better. Some IPC standards determine PCB and PCBA design requirements which are used to create DFM profiles that reflect manufacturability: IPC-2221, IPC-2222, IPC-2152, IPC-6012, IPC-7351, and IPC J-STD-001. 

 

Note: Running DFM analysis does not replace the need to assess acceptance criteria post-production per IPC-A-600 and IPC-A-610.

 

Check this White Paper and learn more about how PCB designers can use IPC specifications for DFM.