The world standard in PCB inspection criteria for assembled PCBs is the IPC A-610 formally known as “Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies”. It includes hundreds of pictures, tables , diagrams and references developed by industry subject matter experts. It is THE definitive source for the inspection criteria for consumer grade, commercial grade and high reliability electronic assemblies.

The industry trade group, the IPC, develops the standards based on industry input and prints, distributes and monitors and develops the training program for this standard. By taking on this certification training you can demonstrate your commitment to discerning customer requirements and assists companies interested in quality assurance programs such as ISO-9000 or others.

IPC training comes with it a recognition and legitimacy worldwide in the electronics industry. Many individuals have been trained to be IPC-A-610 Certified IPC Trainers. The IPC-A-610 training and certification program for company trainers provides quality training materials, online testing and certification housing and detailed instructional plans for IPC training application specialists. These candidates typically come from nearly every level in the electronics “food chain” including but not limited to purchasing, sales, process engineering, quality and more.

IPC-A-610 training and certification program has two tiers of certification including both trainers and applications specialists. Trainers are sent by their respective employers to IPC training centers to receive standardized extensive training. They are certified as trainers after sitting through the instruction and passing the online tests. Potential IPC training instructors can “challenge test” at the training center if they feel like they know the material already . These trainers are then given the material and knowledge to train associates as IPC CIS candidates. The IPC A-610 CIS training consists of a modularized training course which is modularized or customized to the needs of the specific employer. In both cases the IPC solder certification program cert is valid for a 2 year time period. Recertification is also done at an IPC training center.