The B-11 3-D Electronic Packages Subcommittee continued work on IPC-7091, Design and Assembly Process Implementation of 3-D Components. There has been significant interest in this standard from both the military and commercial markets, and the subcommittee is ensuring groups doing similar work are included in the efforts for IPC-7091.
The D-11 Flexible Circuits Design Subcommittee met to advance the Working Draft to IPC-2223D, Sectional Design Standard for Flexible Printed Boards. The group reviewed and approved new drawings depicting flexible cross-sectional construction examples and unbonded flex cross-sectional constructions for rigid-flex designs. The group also reviewed new content addressing the factors that affect impedance and capacitance control for flex and rigid-flex printed board applications so as to mitigate signal integrity issues.
The D-12 Flexible Circuits Performance Subcommittee met to advance the Working Draft to IPC-6013D, Qualification and Performance Specification for Flexible Printed Boards. The group also reviewed a cross-sectional illustrations that address voiding or delamination in the transition zone between flexible material and rigid material. The group also reviewed examples of anomalies in flexible printed board assemblies (e.g. kinks in the ribbon cable following assembly operations) and agreed to submit recommendations to the IPC 7-31b task group for addressing these issues in a future revision to IPC-A-610, Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies.
The D-13 Flexible Circuits Base Materials Subcommittee began review and updating of IPC-4202A to ultimately revise it to B revision.
The D-15 Flexible Circuits Test Methods Subcommittee began to review all flexible circuits test methods for relevance to all materials, printed boards and design standards. Most if not all test methods that apply to old flexible circuits (those that begin with “FC” are likely to be obsolete and will likely be archived.