What is IPC 620?
Over the years, there has been a developed standard that ensures all companies produce safe and high-quality products. This standard enables the coverage of development, design, testing, manufacture, and quality control of packaging containers.
Keep reading to learn more about the IPC 620 standard and its unique functions.
What is IPC 620 Standard?
IPC 620 Standard is simply defined as an outline put in place to guide, evaluate and test all cable assemblies under the manufacturing and production of wires, harnesses, and cables.
IPC 620 is, therefore, an abbreviation that stands for Institute for Printed Circuits. This was the name used by the association that connected the electronic sector.
Therefore, IPC 620 harness standard is a term that describes all the measurements and requirements involved in testing the assemblies, materials used, the production method used, and the criteria that is acceptable in the manufacture and production of the wire harness. These standards are a checklist that determines whether or not the final product has managed to meet the needed requirements as stipulated by the set standards.
What are the Tests for Defining Cable and Level Requirements?
IPC 620 standard defines three classes of products. The classes range from Class 1 to class 3, where products differ depending on functionality, continued performance on demand, equipment downtime, and end-use environment.
What are the Types of Electronic Product Classification Set by IPC 620 Standards?
The process of manufacturing cable assemblies and wire harnesses is important in the evaluation classes to which assemblies are identified.
These three classes include;
- General
- Dedicated Service
- High Performance/Harsh Environment.
Based on the intended use for assemblies, let’s look at the three product classes.
General Electronic Products Class 1 Classification
This class constitutes products suitable for various applications but particularly where the application’s main purpose is the proper function of a finished assembly. This includes consumer appliances being used on a daily basis.
Dedicated Service Electronic Products Class 2 Classifications
Here the products included continuous feature performance with an extended life span, such as gaming PCs, mobile phones, and televisions. These are products that are meant to offer interrupted service. Basically, failures will not be due to the end-user environment.
High-Performance Electronic Products Class 3 Classifications
This class involves the production of assemblies that feature a continuous performance. Therefore, the equipment tolerance is key, particularly where the application involves harsh environs. Some of the devices in this category will include medical equipment like life support systems and military devices.
Accept and reject decisions of IPC 620 are based on the applicable documentation such as drawings, contracts, standards, specifications, and reference documents.
What are the Advantages of Using the IPC Standard?
- An IPC 620 standard helps in bringing in the needed control as far as reliability and quality of the final product are concerned.
- IPC 620 standards help improve and enhance better communication with suppliers — all people are implementing these standards within this sector. This includes competitors, EMS providers, and suppliers. It’s, therefore, a unifying language.
- Aids in containing the cost of the products. Abiding by the set’s laws ensures the production of quality assemblies, which eliminates the possibility of reworks, which can be costly.
Concussion
Generally, IPC 620 Standard has a vital role in the production and assembly of wire harnesses and the materials used in the process of production. The IPC 620 standards also have a significant role in the inspection of a final product. Therefore, it is important to ensure you abide by such rules considering that a wire harness or cable connects almost every piece of electric equipment or device. Among the most complex items to diagnose are faulty cables, especially cables harnesses which are used in adverse environments such as automotive, medical, or aerospace.