Printed Circuit Boards

Incoming
Inspection Guide
8 Expert Sections of Advice to Ensure High Quality
Finished PCB Assemblies
 Introduction
Printed circuit boards can range from simple single-sided designs to high
layer count, heavy copper behemoths, with many attributes in-between.
Knowing what to inspect for at incoming, and understanding what you see,
can be the difference between a job delaying non-conformance, and a full
failure finished assembly.

Documentation you receive from your PCB supplier will assist you, but the
knowledge and methods to verify what is stated empowers you to monitor
your suppliers. If the received documentation is lacking, then revise your
supplier requirements to receive what you need to have a strong incoming
inspection process for your bare board PCBs.

What follows is basically an emulation of our outgoing inspection process.

Let Epec’s 60+ years of experience work for you in firming up your
incoming inspection, regardless of where your bare board PCBs are being
received from.
 Section
#1
Incoming Packaging
Is the packaging adequate enough for protection and
storage?

Bare board PCBs are fragile. Laminates are soft, surface finishes scratch,
and entrapped air/moisture oxidizes.

Boxes should be well identified with your part number, the weight, and
the date code, at a minimum. Box contents should be secured from easy
shifting and outside rough handling of boxes. Shifting parts can scratch
the surface of the top and bottom part in each package. Little protection
from rough handling can lead to damage corners, fractured laminates, and
broken arrays.

Individual packages should contain desiccant at a minimum, to absorb any

moisture contamination. Humidity Indicator cards can be requested so that
the end user will have an indication of possible moisture contamination as
received, or after storage on a shelf. Types of packaging can be plastic
wrapping, preferably vacuum sealed, or aluminum MBB (Moisture Barrier
Bags), also vacuum sealed. Though IPC does not require bare boards
to be packaged in MBB bags, it is gaining in popularity. Please note that
vacuum sealing MBB bags requires different equipment than what vacuum
sealing plastic does.
Examples of labeling, internal packing, and part packaging methods and content.

“
SET YOUR PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS TO
BEST FIT YOUR PROCESS, STORAGE, AND
EXPECTATIONS.
Packaging method examples continued.
 Section
#2
PCB Characteristics
An easy initial check, is the externally observable features of the bare
board. With print and fabrication notes in hand, surface finish type, solder
mask type and color, silk screen color, and marking location should be
determined.

Surface finish should be reviewed for proper type, voids, silk ink or solder
mask contamination, non-wetting or de-wetting. Solder mask should be
verified as correct color, and whether matte or gloss finish. Silkscreen
ink should be verified for color and legibility. Note that legibility could be
affected by clipping of ink characters around solderable areas.

Location of UL markings and date code should be verified. Are the locations
specified on the drawings? Are the markings required in silk screen ink, or
etched into the copper surface?
Different board characteristics that should be verified against part drawing as part of
the incoming inspection process.

“
A QUICK CHECK OF THESE ATTRIBUTES
AGAINST THE PRINT CAN HELP AVOID
UNEXPECTED DISASTER AFTER ASSEMBLY.
Different board characteristics that should be verified against part drawing as part of
the incoming inspection process.
Different board characteristics that should be verified against part drawing as part of
the incoming inspection process.
 Section
#3
Dimensional Verification

Using tools, such as verniers, gauge pins, and micrometers, basic bare
board dimensions can be easily verified. Width and length of PCB bare
boards can be determined with vernier tools. If parts are in an array, the
overall array should be verified, along with at least one of the individual
parts within the array.

Gauge pins are used to measure the hole sizes per the drill chart on the
print. Be sure to note the tolerances for each hole size. Non-plated holes
will tend to have a tighter tolerance than plated holes. One hole checked
per size will suffice.

Micrometers are used to measure board thickness. Note that thickness

can be called out on a print at the laminate requirement, or the stack-up
requirement. Laminate thickness does NOT include the process added
copper, masks, and surface finish, whereas stack-up thickness does
include all processes.
A few simple tools are required to insure part dimensional conformance.

“
A FIRST PIECE DIMENSIONAL CHECK AS
INCOMING WILL HELP INSURE PROPER
STENCIL FIT AND COMPONENT PLACEMENT.
Examples of board thickness requirments.
 Section
#4
PCB Characteristics (Internal)

To verify internally observable characteristics, a micro-section will be

required. If you do not receive a micro-section from your PCB supplier, it
should become one of your requirements. You may receive documentation
stating the results of internal analysis, but being able to verify some results
is to your benefit.

Even without a micro-scope, layer count can be determined, as can mixed

copper weights on multi-layers. Investment in a 10X measuring loupe will
allow inspection of a micro-section plug for plating voids, laminate voids,
lifted lands, etc. The measuring scale will allow measuring of copper
thickness and dielectric thickness.
Though more challenging to validate than external characteristics, basic internal
attributes can be verified with simple magnification.

“
A VALUABLE PART OF ANY DELIVERY, THE
MICRO-SECTION ALLOWS VIEWING OF
INTERNAL CHARACTERISTICS.
Though more challenging to validate than external characteristics, basic internal
attributes can be verified with simple magnification.
Magnifying tool used for inspection.

“
MICRO-SECTION PLUGS ARE A QUICK INSIGHT
INTO THE MAKE-UP OF YOUR PCB. IF COPPER
WEIGHTS ARE MIXED, OR STACK-UPS DEFINED,
REVIEW OF THE MICRO-SECTION MIGHT
DETERMINE THE NEED FOR CLOSER ANALYSIS.
 Section
#5
Confirming Proper Materials

There are many instances where blueprints will specify specific materials in
the fabrication of the bare board. There are a multitude of laminate brands
and types, solder mask brands and types, and even different plugging
materials, and specific surface finish systems. Requiring a materials
certificate will afford a piece of mind that the proper products were used

These certs will have the brand and model name, a date of manufacture
or testing, and a specific lot code. The document will also include the tests
performed on the material lot, and the results of that testing.
Example of a material certification.

“
WHEN SPECIFIC MATERIALS ARE CALLED OUT
PER PRINT, DUE DILIGENCE IN CONFIRMING
THEIR USE COULD AVOID DISASTER WITH THE
FINISHED ASSEMBLY.
 Solder mask cert

More examples of different material certifications.

 Section
#6
Common Non Conformances

Solder mask on solderable surface/Silk screen on solderable surface.

Both processes are quite stable after the first piece (production panel) is
fine-tuned, but if areas are not kept clean, or excess inks are allowed to
build up, contamination of a solderable surface can easily happen. Note
that solder mask tends to contaminate the copper surface, and will prevent
proper wetting of the surface finish, as it is applied before the surface finish.
Silk screen process is done after surface finish and will contaminate the top
of the surface finish.

Mis-registration of either image (silkscreen / solder mask) will also cause

the above issues.
Example of solder mask contamination and silk screen ink contamination.

“
CONTAMINATION OF SOLDERABLE PADS
WITH MARKING AND MASK INKS CAN CAUSE
NON-WETTING / DE-WETTING AT ASSEMBLY
PROCESSES.
 Section
#7
Debris in Plated Through Holes

A common non-conformance, debris in plated holes can become dislodged

at assembly, causing other issues. If the debris is plated to the barrel wall,
it can affect overall hole size, and be an impedance at assembly. The likely
root cause is drilling debris not properly cleaned at the drilling process.
This debris can be lodged in holes, and covered by the electroless copper
process. Then plated copper will permanently affix the debris, and now
affect the required over-all hole size. Physically removing this debris tends
not to be an option as the remaining area will now be a void in the copper
plating.
Examples of debris in plated through holes.

“
DEBRIS REMAINING IS PCB HOLES CAN
BECOME DISLODGED, AND CAUSE ISSUES
WITH FURTHER BOARD FABRICATION OR
ASSEMBLY.
Examples of debris in plated through holes continued.
 Section
#8
Over-etching of Copper Features

Etching process is a major function of PCB fabrication. Images are placed

on copper sheets, and then protected by resist while all the un-needed
copper is etched away, chemically. Because the resist protects the surface
of the image only, copper pads and signals do have some exposure to the
etching solutions. For this reason, image data is expanded for production,
to compensate for this etch factor.

Any miscalculations with the compensation, or etch process parameters,

can lead to over etching. The most obvious sign of over etching would
be an overly large solder mask clearance, though it is not definitive.
Large mask clearances could be the intention of the original data. Actual
measurement of the copper features compared to the data would confirm
an issue.
Examples of over etched copper feature.

“
EASILY MISSED AT INSPECTION, OVER ETCHED
COPPER FEATURES CAN LEAD TO ASSEMBLY
AND FUNCTIONALITY CONCERNS.
Additional examples of over etched copper features.
Having Printed Circuit Board
Quality Issues?
Epec has more than 65 years in the printed circuit board
(PCB) industry. PCB layout and design services is one
of the ways that we help our customers get to market
faster as our engineering team has significant
real world experience designing PCBs for
performance and manufacturability.

Our team of engineers and CAD/CAM

operators are available to discuss any
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have as we are fully licensed and
utilize industry leading tools.
Our team can work with you
to review your design to
make sure that printed
circuit boards can be
manufactured with
the highest quality
at the best Custom Solution For Your Product
overall cost.
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leading OEM and EMS companies in the automotive,
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 About The Author
Chris Perry
PCB & Flex Heater Supply Chain Manager

Chris has been with Epec 17 years, including 8 years manufacturing

experience within a quality control role
and 2 years in the front end planning
department.

As Epec has grown, Chris has continued

to accept new responsibilities within the
company. Chris has also held the role of
PCB planning, where he learned the entire
process, through customer delivery.

Chris has been certified through Addstan

Management Systems as an ISO
9001:2000 Internal Auditor, and most
recently received IPC-A-600 Certified IPC
Specialist from Eptac Corporation.

Chris received his A.S. degree in Environmental Science at Bristol College,

was certified as Class III Industrial Wastewater operator, and also was
certified as an emergency response operator.

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