IPC Training – Need for IPC Training

IPC Training is governed by trade organizations for PCBs and electronics, and has developed a series of inspection criteria and manual skills courses related to PCBs and their assembly. Industry consensus within the IPC has driven the desire for a training program. For IPC training involving inspection criteria, classroom teaching involves being able to understand the specification and being able to look up the material. For the hands-on IPC Soldering Training Program, subject matter skills such as soldering, rework, and repair of printed circuit boards must be demonstrated, along with specification proficiency.

These IPC training courses are based on industry specifications gathered through the IPC trade organization based on member input and cover a variety of topics. These, along with input from IPC members, drive the training. Specifications are created for the given topic through member input at committee meetings based on volunteer support. Supporting members are training centers, industry consultants and end users. These working groups, chaired by a member of industry and organized and guided by IPC staff members, reach agreement on the specification. After a final vote by industry, the document is published and subsequently translated into a variety of different languages. These documents are the basis for the IPC training program. An independent training committee is then established to drive the content of the training program. After a few trial classes and one or more rounds of the IPC Certification program, IPC training is released.

IPC Certification programs are administered by IPC, the industry trade organization. Managing the IPC training program involves tracking instructor credentials, verifying training center proficiency, as well as printing and distributing materials and maintaining the website. In addition to maintaining the website, the IPC manages the testing portal.

IPC certification programs are taught by industry subject matter experts using IPC-coordinated and industry-approved materials. IPC licensed, authorized and accredited training centers to ensure their instructors are vetted and require a minimum amount of classroom and industry experience. In turn, IPC Training Centers ensure that newly licensed instructors returning to their locations are able to teach class materials to their own associates as part of IPC training.

An IPC certification, which is the result of a successful outcome of IPC training, is governed by an agreed set of guidelines and rules. These rules are set forth in a living document called “IPC Training Governance Policy and Procedures.” Members of this committee drive policy and requirements for IPC training.

There are several drivers for the need for IPC certification training. One of the drivers is the desire and requirement on the part of the space, government agencies, and international companies that their products be built by people knowledgeable of industry standards. These standards are accepted worldwide and allow the design owner to have options on where their products should be built. IPC certification in many cases faces a requirement for those who will build, assemble and test your products. On the other hand, the industry is then driven by this requirement and demands to have certified and trained personnel to be able to participate in these contracts. A second driver for companies to have their employees participate in the IPC certification program to meet ISO and QS quality system requirements to have a third party certified training program. Each of the IPC certification training programs meets these requirements as they are linked to the ANSI standard.