IPC classes set how strict fabrication and assembly acceptance must be. Class 1 is for toys and other simple consumer goods that only have to work; Class 2, the usual default, is for computers, instruments and industrial controls that should last for years but may carry minor cosmetic flaws; Class 3 is for pacemakers, avionics, weapons and other gear that has to work every time it is switched on. The class drives requirements such as plating thickness, annular ring, solder fillets and allowable defects in IPC-6012 and IPC-A-610.
It's a pacemaker programmer, so IPC Class 3 fab and assembly, tell the board house before they quote.
Also heard as
- performance class
- product class
Related terms
Annular ring
Ring of pad copper left around a drilled hole, which must stay wide enough after the drill wanders.
PTH
Plated through-hole: a drilled hole whose walls are copper-plated to connect every layer it passes through.
DFM
Design for manufacturability: checking and adjusting a design so it can be built reliably at sensible cost.
AOI
Automated optical inspection: camera system that checks boards for missing, shifted or badly soldered parts.