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46 PCB007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2019 3. Initial Qualification Test Plan: Qualification test plans must be created when performing an initial qualification. A qualification test plan itself lists the capabilities that the manu- facturer desires to qualify and describes how the manufacturer will demonstrate its ability to meet the MIL-PRF-31032 specification sheet requirements for said capabilities. Ongoing Certification Terms 1. Capability Verification Inspection (CVI): Can be used to validate that the qualified mate- rials and processes continue to conform to the originally qualified capabilities. In this re- gard, CVI serves as a tool for monitoring the quality and reliability of the manufacturer's technology, capabilities, materials, and pro- cesses. The inspection and associated report is performed every two years. The CVI data must reflect the capabilities of the manufac- turer as related to the QML listing for each material type. 2. Add-on Qualifications: Allow a manufac- turer to more easily expand its QML listing than performing initial qualifications. Add-on qualifications are governed by the QM plan, and the manufacturer's qualification test pro - cedure and are controlled by the TRB. One benefit of add-on qualification is that it al- lows the TRB to use current jobs to extend their QML listing. It also allows jobs outside the manufacturer's current capability listing to be accepted. To do this, though, careful at - tention must be paid to the add-on qualifica- tion test plan when it is generated. Also, open communication with the customer should be practiced. In the case that the boards do not meet testing requirements, the shipped prod- uct cannot be considered to be MIL-PRF-31032 certified. 3. PDA: Percent Defective Allowed (PDA): Is most useful when the nature of the commod- ity makes it unreasonable to perform destruc- tive testing on finished products, such as printed boards. The idea behind PDA is that if a significant portion of a lot is defective or if a significant portion of representative test vehicles has defects, there is a chance that the remaining lot may have defects that the in - spections did not uncover. PDA is a flag for the TRB to look twice at suspect lots before shipment. 4. Periodic Conformance Inspection (PCI): For- merly called Group B, PCI is performed peri- odically at defined intervals (usually month- ly) rather than on each lot. The tests and frequencies listed in the associated specifi- cations are guidelines to a PCI assessment program. 5. Lot Conformance Inspection (LCI): Formerly called Group A and in-process inspection, LCI is the method of verifying and record- ing printed board compliance on a lot-by-lot basis. Your foreign-language class for MIL- PRF-31032 is over, so your communication with the DLA can now start without any awk- ward moments. In my next column, I will summarize step two: pre-certification require- ments. PCB007 Reference 1. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), "Certification and Qualification Information for Manufacturers: MIL- PRF-31032," Revision G, August 2013. Mike Hill is president of MIL-Q- Consulting LLC. He has been in the PWB fabrication industry for over 40 years. During that time, he participated in specification writing for both IPC and the military. Past employers include ViaSystems, Colonial Circuits, and DDi. To read past columns or contact Hill, click here or email Milqconsulting@outlook.com.