Electronics Assembly for Operators

SYLLABUS
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This course introduces the key concepts, tools, materials, and processes that operators need to
know to do their best work. Participants can complete the core set of modules to receive their
certificate of qualification, then select among nine voluntary modules for process-specific
training.

COURSE OBJECTIVE
After completing this course, you will be able to employ the correct procedures for building
Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCAs) within an electronics manufacturing facility.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES PER COURSE MODULE

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY

• Recognize the role of IPC standards
• Distinguish Class 1, 2, and 3 electronics products
• Identify IPC standards training levels

MODULE 2: INTRODUCTION TO PRINTED CIRCUIT ASSEMBLY (PCA)

• Define the common features of a Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
• Identify the common components of a Printed Circuit Assembly (PCA)
• Describe the different attachment methods used in a (PCA)

MODULE 3: OVERVIEW OF ASSEMBLY AND SOLDERING PROCESSES

• Describe the assembly process of Surface Mount Technology (SMT)
• Describe the assembly process of Through Hole (TH) Technology
• Compare the processes of Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Through Hole (TH) Technology
• Identify the different post-processes within the electronics assembly process

MODULE 4: SAFETY
• Identify standard safety signs and symbols relevant to assembly operators
• Describe standard safety procedures for protecting assembly operators, equipment, and product
• Identify potential risks and hazards of standard materials used by assembly operators
• Describe safety concerns of using standard assembly equipment

MODULE 5: ESD & PRODUCT HANDLING

• Identify standard safety signs and symbols relevant to assembly operators
• Identify the cause and concerns of electrostatic discharge (ESD) in electronics assembly

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 • Describe the function of personal grounding and static control devices
• Demonstrate proper handling procedures for PCBs and PCAs
• Describe cause and prevention of foreign object debris (FOD)

MODULE 6: COMPONENT IDENTIFICATION

• Identify components used in electronic assemblies
• Differentiate between wires, cables, and harnesses
• Identify the types of terminals used in electronic assemblies
• Identify various types of hardware used in electronic assemblies

MODULE 7: DRAWINGS, SPECIFICATIONS & MEASUREMENTS

• Explain how the Bill of Materials (BOM) is used in the assembly process
• Explain how assembly drawings are used in the assembly process
• Identify common measurement tools and symbols used in the assembly process

MODULE 8: BASIC PCB/PCA DEFECTS

• Define quality in electronics manufacturing
• Define the different quality conditions specified in IPC-A-610 and IPC-A-600
• Identify PCB and PCA defects according to IPC standards
• Use quality condition criteria to determine component acceptability

MODULE 9: IPC STANDARDS

• Define IPC standards in reference to the electronic manufacturing industry
• Identify the most common IPC standards relevant to an assembly operator
• Compare IPC Certification programs with IPC Workforce Training programs

FINAL EXAM FOR MANDATORY MODULES 1-9

Students must complete the Final Exam for Modules 1 through 9 with a passing score of 75% in
order to access and download your Qualified IPC Assembly Operator Certificate. Students may
attempt the exam up to three (3) times. Please note that a third and final attempt is permitted
after 24 hours of the second attempt.

OPTIONAL MODULES

MODULE 10: INTRODUCTION TO HAND SOLDERING

• Describe the hand soldering process and its properties
• Explain the function of common hand soldering tools, equipment, and materials
• Identify common hand soldering defects and soldering anomalies

MODULE 11: SURFACE MOUNT TECHNOLOGY

• Describe the process of assembling printed circuit boards (PCBs) with surface mount
technology (SMT)
• Describe the reflow soldering process for SMT assemblies

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 • Identify the cause and types of SMT defects within the soldering process

MODULE 12: THROUGH-HOLE TECHNOLOGY

• Describe the process and properties of through-hole (TH) technology
• Identify common through-hole insertion methods, tools, and machines
• Identify through-hole assembly defects

MODULE 13: WIRE AND CABLE PREPARATION

• Identify characteristics of wire and cables used in electronics assembly
• Describe the steps involved in wire preparation
• Describe inspection criteria for cutting, stripping, and tinning wire

MODULE 14: WIRES & TERMINALS TECHNOLOGY

• Identify types of wire terminations
• Differentiate between methods of connecting wires to terminals
• Differentiate between acceptable and defect soldered and crimped terminations

MODULE 15: CABLES AND HARNESS TECHNOLOGY

• Identify types of connectors used in wire harness technology
• Distinguish methods of connectorization
• Distinguish methods for making and evaluating wire splices
• Describe the wire harness assembly process

MODULE 16: HARDWARE

• Identify tools used in electronics assembly
• Recognize hardware and other materials used in electronics assembly
• Differentiate between acceptable and defect conditions of installed hardware and materials

MODULE 17: CONFORMAL COATING

• Identify equipment, tools, and materials used in conformal coating
• Explain steps in conformal coating process
• Identify conformal coating defects

MODULE 18: PRESS FIT

• Identify tools, equipment, and materials used in press-fit insertion
• Describe the steps of the press-fit insertion process
• Identify common press-fit insertion defects

CONTACT AND COMMUNICATION

The Assembly Operator Training course is a self-paced, online course. However, IPC content
experts and learning specialists are available to answer your questions. Simply send an email to
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[email protected] with a detailed description of the content-related or technology-related
comment or concern. Please specify the course module for content-related questions.

COURSE RESOURSES
Everything you need to successfully complete the Assembly Operator Training course is included
and available on the IPC EDGE Learning Management System.

COURSE COMPONENTS AND REQUIREMENTS

The asynchronous Assembly Operator Training program provides engaging videos, activities,
and quizzes designed to help you learn, remember, and apply electronics assembly processes.
The course is composed of the components described in Table 1.

You must begin with Module 1 and complete each Module pre-quiz, video, and post-quiz in order
to advance to the next Module. Glossary items can be accessed at any time via hyperlinked
words or the link on the Module homepage.

Table 1. Course Components, Description, and Requirements

Course Component Description Requirement

Brief video featuring an onscreen Mandatory

Course Introduction
narrator and graphics that (completion/no grade)
introduce you to the content
covered, it’s importance to the
success of your work, and the logic
behind the learning strategies used
Short, (3 to 5-questions) ungraded Mandatory
Module Pre-quiz
quiz designed to help you identify (completion/no grade)
what you know and what you still
need to learn
“Bite-sized” segments of text, Voluntary
Module Sections
videos, graphics, and activities that (no grade)
explain the key points of the Module
content and provide opportunities
for you to think about how you
would apply electronic assembly
processes at work
Five to ten-question quiz designed Mandatory
Module Post-quiz
to help you confirm what you know, (no grade)
identify areas that still need work,
and quickly link back to the original
content for review

STUDY TIPS

1. Use the Learning Objectives. Refer to the Module learning objectives often.

Why? Keeping the learning objectives fresh in your mind helps keep your efforts focused

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 on those aspects of the training that will help you achieve the learning goals for the
Module.

2. Quiz yourself. After you complete a Module, ask yourself questions such as: What are the key
ideas? What terms or ideas are new to me? How do these ideas relate to what I already
know? Then, check the Module content to see how well you did.

Why? Quizzing yourself allows you to identify what you really know and what you still
need to work on.

3. Quiz yourself periodically. After you engage with the Module content, quiz yourself, and
review your answers, wait a couple of days and quiz yourself again without first reviewing the
material.

Why? Regular self-quizzes help you connect the content to what you already know and
what you’ve learned and thought about since you first learned that content. Tying the
content to these other bits of knowledge in your brain makes it easier to recall when you
need to apply it on the job later on. Research also shows that the effort required to recall
what you’ve learned entrenches it more firmly into your long-term memory than if you
were to re-read or highlight the same material.

4. Mix it up. When you quiz yourself, mix in topics or questions from different Modules. Online
or homemade flashcards can make this fun. Just remember to keep the cards you get right in
the rotation even if they appear less often.

Why? It may be more difficult than practicing one subject at a time, but mixed practice
has two distinct advantages. First, because it is more complex and requires more effort,
mixed practice more effectively stores the content in your long-term memory (practicing
a lot of the same thing often makes you feel like you’ve mastered the content, but it’s
quickly forgotten because you are mostly relying on your short-term memory). Second,
in real-life you often have to deal with different types of problems in no particular order.
In other words, to be successful it’s better to practice like you play—or work!

5. Express it in your own words. Explain the new content to somebody else in your own words
or write a summary of each Module, adding images and examples that help you better
understand and remember the content.

Why? Learning, that is acquiring knowledge and skills that are easily retrieved from
memory, so you can address problems and opportunities, is very much about connecting
new stuff to the older stuff already stored in your memory. Therefore, learning the same
topic will be a little different for everybody because each one of us is connecting the new
stuff to different old stuff. In other words, the most durable kind of learning happens
when you connect new content with objects, people, and experiences that are
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 meaningful to you. One of the most effective ways to do that is to express newly learned
material in your own words.

6. Dive in. Read the Module learning objectives, then try to explain the key ideas. How do these
ideas relate to what you already know?

Why? It may seem silly to try to answer a question or solve a problem before being taught
how, but you are much more likely to learn and remember the solution if you try to work
your way through it first. In fact, a wide range of experts, from farmers and mechanics to
physicists and mathematicians have sought their answers through a mixture of dogged
research and trial and error. Trying to figure something out before you know too much
about it puts all your past knowledge to work in search of answers, heightening your
awareness of what you do and do not know about the topic at hand. When you hit on
those answers, the new knowledge easily and firmly connects to the related concepts
and experiences in your memory because you have been actively remembering them.
Even if you are not right on every count, the effort will have primed your brain to find,
learn, remember, and recall the Module content that is new to you.

7. Take time to think about it. While doing some routine task like walking the dog, jogging, or
washing the dishes, take a few minutes to think about a recent learning experience. What are
the main ideas and how do they relate to my work? Can I apply what I’ve learned to improve
my job performance? If you’ve already tried to apply what you’ve learned at work, ask what
went well and went poorly? What do I need to learn or do to get better results the next time?

Why? Thinking about how your past experiences and current knowhow relate to what
you’ve recently learned helps to connect and store this new knowledge in your long-term
memory so that it is easy to recall when needed. Considering how well you learn
something or how well you apply that learning at work will help you identify effective
learning and workplace strategies. Think about an especially successful learning or work
experience. What was different about those experiences? How can I take what worked
and apply it to this situation?

8. Limit your study time. Work through relatively small amounts of information in 20- or 30-
minute sittings rather than long, continuous study sessions.

Why? Our brains can only process so much information at a time. Learning is more
effective when you give your brain a little time to sort and transfer information from
working memory to long-term memory. If you take on too much at a time, or proceed too
quickly, you may overload your working memory and forget important parts of the
content before they are committed to your long-term memory.

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9. Sleep. Make sure to get the right amount of sleep. You may be able to function with less, but
most healthy adults should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. Teens and
children require more.

Why? Your brain uses down time to sort through the days input, dumping the
unnecessary bits and integrating newly learned material with what we already know.
While you sleep, the rest of your body goes about repairing tissue, generating new cells,
and eliminating toxins. Research shows that healthy sleeping habits lead to improved
mood, weight loss, increased ability to learn and retain information, and better
performance.

10. Cut out distractions. Set aside your smartphone, resist answering emails, surfing the Net for
your next purchase, or checking in on your Facebook page.

11. Focus on one thing at a time. Effective multitasking is a widespread myth. Research shows
that multitaskers had a very difficult time sorting through irrelevant material and were
outperformed by more singularly focused people across many different measures.

Why? Aside from compromising the quality of your work, distractions and multitasking
take a big bite out of the limited amount of time you have to get things done. Every time
you switch tasks you waste time getting yourself started on the new task and restarting
the one you stopped. Research shows that task switching can eat up from 25% to 100%
of your time depending on the complexity of the tasks. Twenty-five percent represents 10
hours of a forty-hour work week!

12. Believe in yourself. It’s important to realize that you can literally increase your brain power
and become an expert at whatever you (again literally) put your mind to. You are not stuck
with some finite amount of intellectual ability at birth. In other words, if you think you can or
think you can’t, you’re right.

Why? Research has proven that the human brain is malleable. It grows new and faster
connections through the effort of learning. If you feel that you are “bad’ at something like
math or gardening, you can become much better at with deliberate and persistent study
and practice. If you haven’t had much success until now, you may have been using poor
study strategies. For example, extensive research has shown that multiple re-readings in
close succession, highlighting, and continually pouring over notes are time-consuming
strategies that yield poor results at the cost of the more effective strategies described
here. However, it’s important that you adjust your mindset to truly take these facts into
account. A learning setback is not a result of limited intelligence. It is simply means that
you may have to change strategies, increase focus, get creative, or work harder. It’s also
important to remember that learning things in a permanent and easily retrievable way
requires effort.

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 The authors of Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning describe how the effort
you put into the study strategies described above lead to meaningful learning:

Effortful recall of learning…requires that you “reload” or reconstruct the

components of the skill or material anew from long-term memory rather than
mindlessly repeating them from memory. During this focused, effortful recall, the
learning is made pliable again: the most salient aspects of it become clearer, and
the consequent reconsolidation helps to reinforce meaning, strengthen
connections to prior knowledge, bolster the cues and retrieval routes for recalling
it later, and weaken competing routes.

RESOURCES:

Andreatta, Britt. (2016) Wired To Grow: Harness the Power of Brain Science to Master Any Skill.
Santa Barbara, CA: Seventh Mind Publishing.

Brown, P. C., Roediger, H. L. McDaniel, & Mark A. (2014) Make it Stick: The Science of Successful
Learning. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

Carey, B. (2015) How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens. New
York, NY: Random House.

Dweck, Carol S. (2008) Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.

Keller, G. W., & Papasan, J. (2013) The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind
Extraordinary Results. Hudson Bend, TX: Bard Press.

PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITIES
You will have unlimited 24/7 access to the Assembly Operator Certificate course materials for
three months. However, you must complete all Modules and the final exam within one month of
registration. It is up to you to immediately report any technical difficulties that may hamper your
ability to access or use course materials. Please refer to the Learning Management System
section in this syllabus to familiarize yourself with its use. If you cannot resolve the issue, please
send an email with a detailed description of the problem to [email protected].

LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Upon accessing the course for the first time, make sure to take a moment to update your
personal profile and read the information under the “Before you Begin” tab in the “Start Here”
section at the top of your dashboard. This section also contains an introductory video to help
you familiarize yourself with the location and use of course materials.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
IPC supports the most recent versions of Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, and
Microsoft Edge. Courses can be accessed on desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones.
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Please refer to Browser Settings under the Start Here! Tab on your dashboard to make sure your
browser is set to function seamlessly with the IPC Edge Learning Management System. If you
need further technical assistance, please send an email to [email protected] or call IPC
Member Support at +1 847-597-2862.