Quality assurance connects requirements to retained records
Quality planning starts with what the customer must be able to accept, not with a list of inspection equipment. The order identifies the board revision, applicable workmanship criteria, special characteristics, inspection and test coverage, disposition authority and delivery records. The following matrix is a planning guide; it is not a completed inspection report or a claim that every method is included in every order.
| Stage | Record to agree | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Incoming material | PO and BOM revision, supplier, part identifier, lot and packaging checks | The received material can be linked to the approved source and intended build |
| First article | Assembly revision, key orientations, setup checks and approval disposition | The setup has been checked before proceeding under the agreed release rule |
| In-process inspection | Method, affected features, sampling or coverage, findings and correction | Defined assembly characteristics were inspected within the stated scope |
| Programming and test | Software identity, fixture version, limits, conditions and per-unit or batch result | The specified behavior was checked; untested behavior remains outside the evidence |
| Nonconformance | Affected quantity and lots, containment, decision owner and retest result | The exception has an authorized disposition and a traceable closure |
| Shipment | Released quantity, identification, packaging and agreed reports | The delivered units and records correspond to the released order |
Traceability must follow the actual risk
Decide whether the project needs batch, panel or individual-board identification. Map the required identifier to material lots, assembly revision, firmware and test records. Do not assume that a general statement about traceability means every component is serialized or that every record is retained indefinitely. The record set and retention expectations need to be agreed for the project.
For purchasing evidence, see component sourcing traceability. For inspection limitations, see AOI, X-ray, ICT and functional-test coverage.
What to request during supplier review
Request an appropriate anonymized example showing the record fields and decision trail relevant to your order. Check the document revision, responsible role, acceptance basis and connection to the manufacturing site. A blank template explains a process; a completed, authorized historical record is different evidence. Confidential customer information should be removed without making the remaining record misleading.
Discuss the required record package with the test review or project team before placing the order. Certificates are checked separately against the entity and site scope.
Define acceptance, sampling and disposition separately
An acceptance document defines what is evaluated; a sampling plan defines which units and characteristics are examined; a release decision determines what may proceed. These are separate agreements. State the selected document revision, product class where applicable, special requirements, inspection method, lot definition and authority for exceptions. A reference to a workmanship standard does not establish KFPCBA certification or prove a specific build passed it.
| Record | Minimum useful detail | Failure to prevent |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance basis | Drawing and workmanship revisions, characteristic, method and applicable criterion | Using a photograph or a generic “pass” against an unspecified rule |
| Sampling basis | Lot boundary, selected unit IDs, characteristics and agreed selection method | Presenting a small trial as inspection of the entire shipment |
| Nonconformance | Observed condition, containment, affected units and authorized disposition | Hiding excluded or reworked units from the denominator |
| Release | Accepted units, held units, approved deviations and linked retest records | Counting an open investigation as a completed release |
Worked quantity reconciliation
Consider an illustrative lot of 120 units: 115 have a completed review record and 5 remain on hold. The total reconciles because 115 + 5 = 120. This is not a sampling plan, a yield claim or evidence that any units were shipped. Retain the identity and disposition of all 120 units; any replacement must receive its own record rather than inheriting another board's pass.
Source: IPC, IPC-A-610H public introductory scope and contents; checked 2026-11-11. Supports the distinction between assembly acceptability and broader process requirements only. This historical public excerpt does not select the contract revision, provide a sampling plan or establish KFPCBA certification.
Connect the test coverage record with the manufacturing traveller before requesting a quality-scope review.
