Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1058015
36 SMT007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2018 evaluate habits, techniques, and rework pro- cesses based on the IPC J-STD-001 standard and the IPC-7711/7721 guideline document. Competitors' work will be judged first on quality. Points are deducted for flaws and prob- lems with workmanship, work practices, and safety. In the case of a tie in points, the victor will be the competitor with the fastest overall time. Even with the difficulty of the board to be built, when more than one competitor deliv- ers a perfect board, quality is not sufficient to win. There have been multiple instances in which the competition came down to build time. Kris Roberson, IPC director of certifica- tion programs, says, "These people are very excellent at their work! The criteria for judging the competition mirror the job performance criteria for our contestants. Even in the factory, the priority is quali- ty first, but quality can't take very long to achieve." Each year, the competi- tion uses a different board design and parts lists and includes a variety of unex- pected twists that reflect real-world situations. This year, the competitive twist is a rework requirement in addition to standard assem- bly. In the past, competitors have received a bare board, parts, and assembly instruc- tions with the board required to be functional at the end of the assembly process. This year, competitors will receive a partially assem- bled board with instructions to remove some of the compo- nents and prepare the reworked area for reassembly. Judges will stop the clock after component removal, inspect the work, then restart the clock as the compet- itors reassemble and finish the work instructions. This competition can be surprisingly vibrant. "In other countries, spectators will bring vuvu- zelas [stadium horns] and attend in large num- bers. It's a big event!" shared Roberson. "Not only are the competitors timed and judged to Class 3 requirements, but they also have peo- ple hovering over them. Meanwhile, every- thing they're doing is up on the big screen." In trying to answer the question as to why the interest in the U.S. competition is not as enthusiastic as elsewhere, Roberson suggests, "Part of it is that the factories don't want to let their most talented staff off the line. They need these people working, making money." He continues, "In other places and cultures,