Nolan’s Notes: Finding Your Sweet Spot
Standard of Excellence: Delivering Excellence—A Daily Goal
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Tin Whisker Mitigation in Aerospace Applications, Part 3
IPC-CFX-2591 Qualified Product Listing Achieves Major Milestone
April 5, 2021 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
IPC announces a major milestone for the IPC-CFX-2591 Qualified Product Listing (QPL), with 10 pieces of equipment from five different companies now on the QPL. Models listed on the IPC-CFX-2591 QPL have all passed third-party virtual audit to verify the equipment is broadcasting and receiving mandatory IPC-CFX message sets outlined in IPC-2591, Version 1.3, as approved by the 2-17 Connected Factory Initiative Subcommittee.
The IPC-CFX-2591 QPL is a trusted source for EMS and OEM companies to make educated purchasing decisions for equipment that will meet their IPC-CFX implementation plans. The first 10 pieces of equipment on the IPC-CFX Qualified Product Listing page are as follows:
- Europlacer – Pick and Place (2)
- FlexLink – Laser Marker (2)
- KIC – Oven Profiler
- Koh Young – Solder Paste Inspection (SPI) and Automated Optical Inspection (AOI)
- Viscom – Automatic X-ray Inspection (AXI), AOI and SPI
Equipment qualification is available to all IPC-CFX Equipment Self-Validation System subscribers. The first of its kind, the IPC-CFX Equipment Self-Validation System is an open, cloud-based, standardized test bed for companies to use as a sandbox for IPC-CFX equipment implementations.
Once a company determines it has successfully completed the self-validation process to meet the mandatory IPC-CFX messages for their equipment, the company can submit the equipment for virtual qualification audit. Equipment that passes the audit will be automatically and permanently listed on the IPC-CFX-2591 QPL.
Each IPC-CFX-2591 QPL equipment profile indicates the machine type, model name, IPC-CFX version, company software version and the mandatory IPC-CFX messages sets the model can support. Equipment vendors can also choose to qualify their models for additional optional message sets to demonstrate a higher level of IPC-CFX support to their customers.
“What this means for EMS/ODM and OEM companies is that they have a confirmed source of equipment suppliers who can deliver verified equipment to support their transformation to a Smart Factory,” stated Dave Bergman, vice president, IPC standards and technology. Dave further commented, “Manufacturers no longer need to guess which messages are available, they will simply know. To put your company – no matter the size – on the path to Industry 4.0, go with IPC-CFX.”
For more information about IPC-CFX, visit www.ipc-cfx.org.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Driving Innovation: Direct Imaging vs. Conventional Exposure
07/01/2025 | Simon Khesin -- Column: Driving InnovationMy first camera used Kodak film. I even experimented with developing photos in the bathroom, though I usually dropped the film off at a Kodak center and received the prints two weeks later, only to discover that some images were out of focus or poorly framed. Today, every smartphone contains a high-quality camera capable of producing stunning images instantly.
Hands-On Demos Now Available for Apollo Seiko’s EF and AF Selective Soldering Lines
06/30/2025 | Apollo SeikoApollo Seiko, a leading innovator in soldering technology, is excited to spotlight its expanded lineup of EF and AF Series Selective Soldering Systems, now available for live demonstrations in its newly dedicated demo room.
Indium Corporation Expert to Present on Automotive and Industrial Solder Bonding Solutions at Global Electronics Association Workshop
06/26/2025 | IndiumIndium Corporation Principal Engineer, Advanced Materials, Andy Mackie, Ph.D., MSc, will deliver a technical presentation on innovative solder bonding solutions for automotive and industrial applications at the Global Electronics A
Fresh PCB Concepts: Assembly Challenges with Micro Components and Standard Solder Mask Practices
06/26/2025 | Team NCAB -- Column: Fresh PCB ConceptsMicro components have redefined what is possible in PCB design. With package sizes like 01005 and 0201 becoming more common in high-density layouts, designers are now expected to pack more performance into smaller spaces than ever before. While these advancements support miniaturization and functionality, they introduce new assembly challenges, particularly with traditional solder mask and legend application processes.
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Tin Whisker Mitigation in Aerospace Applications, Part 3
06/25/2025 | Nash Bell -- Column: Knocking Down the Bone PileTin whiskers are slender, hair-like metallic growths that can develop on the surface of tin-plated electronic components. Typically measuring a few micrometers in diameter and growing several millimeters in length, they form through an electrochemical process influenced by environmental factors such as temperature variations, mechanical or compressive stress, and the aging of solder alloys.