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12 The PCB Design Magazine • June 2015 THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FuTuRE OF IPC-A-610 continues is critical for use during manufacturing. The volunteers developing these two standards of- ten have synergy meetings where they address changes to both documents at the same time. Specifically for the ongoing development and maintenance of IPC-A-610, it is an industry consensus document prepared by subject mat- ter experts from the electronics industry. The committee consists of more than 200 volun- teers representing their companies, organiza- tions, and interests of the industry. It is a truly collaborative project. On top of that, IPC-A-610 is a global docu- ment, readily able to assist electronic assemblies around the world. For example, previous revi- sions of IPC-A-610 were translated into as many as 20 languages. This expands the reach of the standard, solidifying its usability in the global market. It is all about sharing knowledge and inspiring growth to create a competitive market within the electronics industry. Latest Revisions Currently, there are plans to translate the Re- vision F document. A translation in Chinese is available now, with French, German, and Span- ish coming soon. During the F revision efforts, language modifications were made in some instances to ease readability, changes to exist- ing criteria when data showed that a change was needed, and criteria for some new surface mount component types were added. Some significant changes to IPC-A-610F standard: • Expanded conformal coating section • Requirements added for two new SMT terminations – P-Style terminations – Butt/I terminations—solder charged terminations • Improved language for ease of readability and understanding • Revised soldering requirements for plastic SMT components • New photos added for clarity • Class 2 plated through-hole vertical solder fill requirements revised • Simplified Imperial English dimensions utilized in the documents Training, Certification, and Validation Services There is currently a training protocol for IPC-A-610F available for those who want to par- ticipate in an industry-recognized training and certification program. This training protocol provides Master Trainers (MITs) and Certified Trainers (CITs) the full complement of course materials required for training and certification of individuals at companies within the electron- ics industry. Individuals are trained and take an exam to be certified on how to use IPC-A-610F in their specific roles within their own compa- nies. This training and certification of employ- Figure 1: Example of a P-style connection terminal. feature