Managing supplier materials for electronics manufacturing can be challenging. Poor, incomplete, or absent material declarations can become significant roadblocks when sourcing compliant sub-products and components. Research and correspondence with suppliers can be slow-moving at times, and time is of the essence for designers on tight production schedules. The industry standard IPC-1752A helps to coordinate efforts between the disparate chemical, material, and sub-product manufacturers integral to PCBA production.
| Material Coverage by IPC-1752A | |
|---|---|
| Covered | Not Covered |
|
|
IPC-1752A: An Organizational Framework for Manufacturers
IPC-1752A is not a direct-to-consumer standard; rather, it provides an organizational system for PCBA manufacturers, component manufacturers, chemical process suppliers, and other material vendors to communicate effectively. Ideally, manufacturers tracking their processes/products fill out their IPC-1752A forms and share them with interested parties or purchasers, making it easier for downstream manufacturers to complete their IPC-1752A forms. In other words, a manufacturer operating within the IPC-1752A framework offers a market incentive over other manufacturers when complying with customer demands or regulations.
Some manufacturers may be unwilling to divulge material information. These materials may remain unreported due to their presence in IP-protected processes; if they later become reportable, all relevant documentation will require an update.
The Scope of IPC-1752A and Supporting Standards
It’s essential to understand what IPC-1752A does and does not cover: the scope of the standard is only the materials present in the final product. This factors in any sub-products (i.e., pre-fabricated products used in the final product, like components) of the design but does not cover process chemicals consumed during manufacturing. However, if those chemicals are present in the final product, they are relevant to IPC-1752A. The standard excludes conflict minerals (IPC-1755A) or product packaging and shipping materials (IPC-1758).
IPC-1752A uses four classifications to categorize material declarations; in this system, manufacturers may meet only the minimum material disclosure framework on a request basis or can provide a complete homogenous material breakdown. Manufacturers who do not wish to account for materials related to IP processes (due to process control requirements) can retain some confidentiality to protect proprietary information. Manufacturers maintain material confidentiality by stating two requirements:
- The substance data is accurate to any currently updated restricted materials lists.
- None of the confidential materials are present on restricted or declarable materials lists.
| IPC-1752A Material Declaration Classifications | |
|---|---|
| Class | Requirements |
| A – Query/Reply |
|
| B – Material Class |
|
| C – Substance Summary Group |
|
| D – Homogenous Substance |
|
The Joint Industry Guide, or JIG-101, is a list of materials the electrotechnical industry attempts to account for due to current restrictions or those that may soon go into effect. More accurately, JIG-101 breaks down into three components:
- R-Regulated – Prohibited, restricted, or reported materials. Materials in this category require tracking for ongoing alignment to compliance requirements.
- A-Assessment – Materials likely to encounter legislative restrictions with unknown implementation dates.
- I-Information – Unregulated materials where the industry collectively agrees to manage reporting for common environmental standards.
Your Contract Manufacturer Maintains Material Disclosures For You
Ultimately, IPC-1752A is a voluntary reporting scheme that benefits upstream manufacturers and suppliers by enabling them to more satisfactorily meet customers’ (i.e., business-to-business) needs. Design teams that need to track materials for the first time may encounter significant roadblocks depending on the vendors they choose to purchase from, which can become substantial time expenditures to correct at a later point.
For designers looking for a seamless transition from design to production, VSE’s dedicated Quality Department tracks and maintains an extensive database of sub-product and process chemical material disclosures for full compliance. At VSE, our engineers are committed to building electronics for our customers. We’ve been realizing life-saving and life-changing products with our manufacturing partners for over forty years.
