IPC 620 - Acceptability of Cable and Wire Harness Assemblies

Improve the quality of your cable and wire harnesses, reducing errors and costs, with IPC 620 certification.

Most electrical/electronic assemblies and products get connected, one way or another, to something else via a cable or wire harness of some sort, or include internal connections and cabling. Faulty cables can be amongst the hardest items to diagnose, especially as many cable harnesses are used in adverse environments such as automotive or aerospace.

You don’t want your products to fail due to a fault in a wire harness, and your customers certainly don’t want to be let down.

Companies have seen significant improvements in quality through implementing the IPC cable harness programme, as staff are much better able to identify and solve problems when they work to well-defined criteria of what is acceptable and unacceptable.

Applying the IPC 620 Standard to your business will help reduce problems and therefore save you time and money. IPC 620 certification also demonstrates a commitment to customer requirements and can help achieve ISO certification or other quality assurance initiatives.

Note: IPC/WHMA-A-620 A is the name of the training course, and this is synonymous with IPC/WHMA-A-620, IPC/WHMA-A-620A, IPC-A-620, IPC-A-620A, IPC 620, IPC 620A, WHMA-A-620A, WHMA-A-620 A, WHMA-A-620, WHMA A620.

Click on each heading below to reveal more details

Who should attend IPC 620 training

This standard is aimed at anyone responsible for manufacturing cable and wire harnesses, for making products and assemblies that include wires, cables and connectors, or for anyone assessing cables in goods in, such as:

• assembly operators
• quality controllers
• inspection personnel
• anyone responsible for the quality and reliability of cable and wire assemblies

IPC 620 for trainers or staff

There are two levels of IPC 620 training.

• To have your team able to apply the standard you need the Application Specialist (or CIS) level.
• To take responsibility for your own training at least one of your team must gain the Certified IPC Trainer (or CIT) level to train and certify the rest of their colleagues. Any company which has a large number of staff who will benefit from IPC 620 knowledge and certification may find it more beneficial to train and maintain their own employees.

Electronics Yorkshire is the only IPC authorised centre in the UK with Master IPC Trainers delivering CIS and CIT certification across all five practical and classroom-based IPC programmes.

IPC WHMA 620 course overview

IPC 620 is the first industry standard for cable and wire harness fabrication and installation. The course enables staff to understand procedures for fault finding, rectification, methods of soldering and quality of finished product on cable and wire harness assemblies.

The IPC 620 standard describes the acceptability criteria for crimped, mechanically secured and soldered interconnections and the corresponding lacing/restraining criteria associated with cable and harness assemblies.

IPC 620 covers three classes of quality assurance:

Class 1	General electronic products - such as cameras, audio/video and domestic appliances. The lifetime of these products is limited, and a failure is not critical.
Class 2	Dedicated service electronic products - such as printers, copiers, computers and general production equipment. The lifetime of the products is longer than class 1, the amount of usage is higher, and an uninterrupted service is desirable.
Class 3	High reliability/critical products - such as military, aerospace and medical. Not only is the product lifetime extended but the products must function without interruption and downtime is not an acceptable option.

 

IPC 620 is a modular programme. Apart from mandatory modules your staff may only need the elements relevant to your company; however both IPC and Electronics Yorkshire strongly recommend that all modules are taken. Certified Trainers must complete every module.

	Application Specialist	Certified Trainer
Module 1 – Introduction/IPC Professional Policies and Procedures; Foreword and Applicable Documents; Cable/wire preparation; Measuring Cable Assemblies; Testing Cable Assemblies	Mandatory	Mandatory
Module 2 – Crimp Terminations and Insulation Displacement Connections	Optional	Mandatory
Module 3 – Soldered Terminations	Optional	Mandatory
Module 4 – Connecting and Moulding/Potting	Optional	Mandatory
Module 5 – Terminal Connections	Optional	Mandatory
Module 6 – Marking/Labelling; Wire Bundle Securing; Shielding; Protective Coverings	Optional	Mandatory
Module 7 – Coaxial and Twinaxial Cable Assemblies	Optional	Mandatory
Module 8 – Solderless Wire Wrap	Optional	Mandatory

The IPC 620 Table of Contents can be accessed here.

 

Pass rates and notes:

Application Specialist	Certified Trainer
A minimum of 70% is required on each closed and open-book written test to achieve a pass	An average of 80% is required across all the closed and open-book written tests to achieve a pass
On completion of the course, the Application Specialist will receive a copy of the IPC 620 Standard	On successful completion of the course, the IPC 620 Trainer will receive all IPC materials to carry out the Application Specialist training. These include: CD-ROM with teaching visuals Instructor Guide IPC-A620A Written Examination
	Application Specialist training materials, manuals and course certificates can only be purchased by Certified IPC-A-620 Trainers

Each course provides a global IPC certification valid for two years. For students who have previously achieved either Application Specialist or Certified Trainer IPC-A-620 Certification within the last two years a relevant two-day Recertification course is available.

IPC 620 course duration

Application Specialist	Certified Trainer
All modules are covered in four days. Module 1 is compulsory, and takes one full day. Each individual module requires a different amount of classroom time, however opting out of modules may not reduce overall attendance time on the course.	This is a five day course

IPC 620 course location and booking

Courses are normally delivered in our advanced technology centre:

Electronics Yorkshire

Airedale House

Clayton Wood Rise

Leeds LS16 6RF

You can view our list of training course dates. Please call us on 0800 610 1601 to book the course of your choice.

We can also conduct training on your premises; call us to discuss this option.

IPC 620 training costs

Application Specialist		Certified Trainer
Course fee per student (4 days): Recertification fee per student (2 days):	£800 £600	Course fee per student (5 days): Recertification fee per student (2 days):	£1800 £800
On-site training at customer’s location: Course materials are provided during the training; copies of the standard can be purchased separately from Electronics Yorkshire	£O/A/day (plus travel and hotel expenses)	On-site training at customer’s location: Course materials are provided during the training; one copy of the trainer’s pack is included and more can be purchased separately from Electronics Yorkshire	£O/A/day (plus travel and hotel expenses)

Electronics Yorkshire Full Members undertaking training at our Leeds centre receive a 20% discount on training costs. Discounts can also be offered for multiple bookings.

Older standards

Please note that the latest standard revision is IPC/WHMA-A-620 A. This supersedes the following training course: IPC/WHMA-A-620