Update to IPC power conversion standard
7 July 2010
News
IPC has released the A revision of IPC-9592, ‘Requirements for power conversion devices for the computer and telecommunications industries.’ First released in 2008, IPC-9592 sets the requirements for power conversion devices (PCDs) in the computer and telecommunications industries, including design for reliability, design qualification testing, manufacturing conformance testing and quality processes. The new A revision of the document provides suppliers and end-users of PCDs with expanded guidance for design qualification testing and new coverage of moisture sensitivity levels (MSLs) and corrosion of PCDs.
Specifically, revision A provides more definitive preconditioning tests for Category 2 printed board surface mount PCD modules with DC-to-DC converters. These tests also simulate stresses encountered during the solder reflow assembly process. Preconditioning tests help predict the results that occur with longer duration environmental stress tests, such as high temperature operating bias as well as power and temperature cycling.
In addition, revision A expands the coverage of moisture sensitivity levels (MSLs) for PCDs. In agreement with IPC J-STD-020, the specification takes a position that printed boards will default to an MSL rating of 2 A. Therefore, many PCDs will now have an MSL rating of at least 2 A due to the fact that a PCD product is typically assigned an overall rating equivalent to the worst-case MSL rating from its bill-of-material components. IPC-9592A also significantly extends its coverage of corrosion of PCDs, providing guidance for various industrial, manufacturing and uncontrolled external environments where gas phase, acidic entrainments in the air can quickly ruin any PCD.
Finally, revision A significantly expands its description of highly accelerated life testing (HALT) and the application of HALT to PCDs.
For more information visit www.ipc.org
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