Defense Speak Interpreted: Is DARPA Still Around After CHIPS?
Beyond the Board: Orbital High Ground—Why Space Superiority Is Slipping Away
The Government Circuit: Trump’s Trade War Disrupts the Electronics Ecosystem
Automotive Suppliers Must Manage Data for IMDS Compliance
July 13, 2017 | Derrik Snider, IMDS DATA LLCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Suppliers of electronics parts and assemblies to the auto industry are finding IPC’s voluntary material data reporting system (IPC-1752A) insufficient for automotive customers. The auto industry has adopted the International Material Data System (IMDS), which has different reporting requirements than IPC.
IMDS and IPC-1752A are different tools for reporting materials data, created by separate industries for different purposes. Suppliers of electronic parts and assemblies that will be part of a car must register their materials data in the IMDS database and obtain an IMDS number that will be required on a PPAP. Lower-tier suppliers are required by many higher-tier customers to provide the material data that IMDS requires as a condition of PPAP approval.
If a PCB fabricator has comprehensive and complete data describing all material substances in an assembly (in IPC or an equivalent format), it can provide its automotive customer with sufficient data to comply with IMDS registration.
For example, Figure 1A shows a portion of a hypothetical IPC material composition declaration (MCD) for two items on a supplier’s BOM. Figure 1B illustrates how the same data on the two items would appear as part of an IMDS report. The arrows show how the IPC data would translate to the IMDS format. Because the IPC data in Figure 1a is sufficient for IMDS, entering the data in the IMDS system would be relatively straightforward. Note that in Figure 1b the components would have to be correctly placed on the IMDS Tree Level for the part, and that material substance weights would have to be converted to percentages, a tedious and time-consuming task for many components.
To read the full version of this article which appeared in the July 2017 issue of The PCB Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Advancing Aerospace Excellence: Emerald’s Medford Team Earns Space Addendum Certification
06/30/2025 | Emerald TechnologiesWe’re thrilled to announce a major achievement from our Medford, Oregon facility. Andy Abrigo has officially earned her credentials as a Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) under the IPC J-STD-001 Space Addendum, the leading industry standard for space and military-grade electronics manufacturing.
Magnalytix and Foresite to Host Technical Webinar on SIR Testing and Functional Reliability
06/26/2025 | MAGNALYTIXMagnalytix, in collaboration with Foresite Inc., is pleased to announce an upcoming one-hour Webinar Workshop titled “Comparing SIR IPC B-52 to Umpire 41 Functional & SIR Test Method.” This session will be held on July 24, 2025, and is open to professionals in electronics manufacturing, reliability engineering, and process development seeking insights into new testing standards for climatic reliability.
IPC Rebrands as Global Electronics Association: Interview With Dr. John W. Mitchell
06/22/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Today, following a major announcement, IPC is embracing the rapid advancement of technology with a bold decision to change its name to the Global Electronics Association. This name more accurately reflects the full breadth of its work and the modern realities of electronics manufacturing. In this exclusive interview, Global Electronics Association President and CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell shares the story behind the rebrand: Why now, what it means for the industry, and how it aligns with the organization’s mission.
Global Electronics Association Debuts; New Name Elevates IPC’s 70-Year Legacy as Voice of $6 Trillion Electronics Industry
06/25/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationToday begins a new chapter for IPC as it officially becomes the Global Electronics Association, reflecting its role as the voice of the electronics industry. Guided by the vision of “Better electronics for a better world,” the Global Electronics Association (electronics.org) is dedicated to enhancing supply chain resilience and promoting accelerated growth through engagement with more than 3,000 member companies, thousands of partners, and dozens of governments across the globe.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
06/20/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007It’s been a busy week in this industry, and we have news and articles from the PCB design, fabrication and assembly communities. Some of this news is out of this world. We may be losing the high ground—the really high ground. Columnist Jesse Vaughan explains how the U.S. seems to be falling behind in space, and how this could affect our ability to defend ourselves in the future. We have an update on the U.S.-China tariff talks, which seem to be moving forward, though sometimes at a snail’s pace.