Quality & acceptance
PCB & PCBA Order Acceptance Checklist
Write acceptance requirements that a supplier and receiving inspector can apply to the same shipment. Connect each critical characteristic to its method, record, sampling basis and release authority.
The practical decision
Separate bare-board acceptance from assembled-board acceptance. A PCB electrical test, an assembly inspection and a functional test answer different questions. None should be substituted for another simply because a report is labelled 鈥減assed.鈥�
- Freeze requirementsDrawing + purchase order
- Agree evidenceMethod + sample + record
- Review exceptionsDisposition + approval
- Release shipmentTraceable acceptance
Write acceptance requirements that can be checked
For every critical requirement, record a measurable target or an identified drawing/standard clause. State the applicable revision and product class where relevant. If two documents disagree, resolve the conflict in writing; do not leave the operator to choose which instruction applies.
| Requirement | Specify before ordering | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|
| Build identity | PCB, BOM, assembly drawing and firmware revisions; order quantity | Released document list and lot identity |
| Bare PCB | Material/stackup, copper, finished thickness, hole and profile tolerances, finish | Agreed dimensional, electrical and construction records |
| Assembly workmanship | Applicable assembly criteria, class and agreed exceptions | Inspection scope and nonconformance disposition |
| Functional acceptance | Input conditions, loads, firmware, measurement limits and test coverage | Results linked to the tested serial number or defined lot |
| Special characteristics | Impedance, cleanliness, coating or reliability requirements where needed | Method, sampling, pass/fail limits and report format |
| Shipment | First-article approval, packaging, labels, quantity and required documents | Release record and packing documentation |
For a measurable inspection scope, compare the test methods and their coverage limits before finalizing the order.
Specify the right standard for the object being accepted
IPC-A-600 addresses printed-board acceptability, while IPC-6012 addresses rigid-board qualification and performance. IPC-A-610 addresses assembly acceptability; J-STD-001 addresses requirements for soldered assemblies. These scopes are different. Use the applicable agreed editions, product class and customer requirements; a standard reference is not a supplier certification.
Example: an approval hold that prevents a shipment dispute
Illustrative requirement: 鈥淪end the first-article dimensional report and the agreed functional-test results for customer review before releasing the remaining lot for shipment.鈥� Add the sample quantity, reviewer, response deadline and what happens if approval is delayed. This is more actionable than 鈥渉igh quality required.鈥� It does not replace the detailed test procedure.
| Decision | Customer input | Supplier confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| When to stop | After first article, before remainder or before shipment | Which work can continue during the hold |
| What to review | Report fields, photographs where useful, test conditions | Available evidence and delivery format |
| How to release | Named approver and accepted document revision | Recorded authorization covering the affected quantity |
| If a result fails | Quarantine, investigation, rework or replacement route | Reinspection and final disposition before release |
Keep deviations and rework visible
Record the affected requirement, quantity, lot/serial range and proposed action. Separate correction of a defect from acceptance of a departure from the specification. Ask for approval before a concession is used. After rework, agree which inspections or tests must be repeated and keep the original failure record with the final result.
Keep approved departures linked to the engineering change record so their quantity and revision boundaries remain visible.
Working document
Prepare your handoff checklist
Open the editable text worksheet, save a copy and record the requirement, owner and evidence for each item. Keep unanswered points visible when requesting review.
- Product and document revisions
- Applicable standards, editions, class and exceptions
- Critical dimensions and electrical requirements
- Inspection method and sampling for each characteristic
- Functional test procedure, firmware and limits
- First-article approval hold and responsible approver
- Traceability fields and record retention
- Rework, concession and shipment release rules
The Contact page is a separate enquiry step. Attach your completed worksheet and relevant files there using its available submission options; this page does not automatically transfer your answers.
Questions before you release the files
Does a certificate of conformity replace inspection results?
No. It can state conformity to an agreed order, but it does not by itself provide the measurements or test coverage. Identify which supporting records are required in the purchase order.
Must every order use the same sampling plan?
No. Agree sampling and any full inspection requirements according to the product risk, applicable requirements and contract. Do not assume a generic sample plan covers a critical characteristic.
Where should I verify supplier certifications?
Use the quality-assurance page and request current certificates, scope, site and validity details as appropriate. This page is a customer order checklist, not a certification directory.
Continue with the next engineering task
Technical references
Scope reference for board acceptability/performance and assembly workmanship/process requirements. Agree the applicable editions and contractual requirements.
Use a five-column acceptance worksheet
Use these fields to scope the report with your quotation. The table is a planning example, not a 吃瓜tv test result or a promise that every record is included by default.
| Record item | Information to include | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement | A finished hole, material grade, fitted component or tested function | Name the feature and the controlled specification. |
| Verification | Measurement, inspection, test or document review | Specify method and the sampled or unit basis. |
| Evidence | Report fields, images, raw values or certificate of conformity | Agree which record is delivered and which is retained. |
| Decision | Limits, reviewer and deviation authority | Define the route for a result outside the requirement. |
Walk through an engineering example
Illustrative review: the purchase order asks for 鈥渇ull test鈥�, but the quoted scope includes bare-board continuity only. An assembled functional test is a separate requirement with its own program, fixtures and acceptance basis. Reconcile this before release, while the quote and schedule can still reflect the work.
Continue to review supplier-level evidence separately.
The email link opens a draft for you to complete. Contact is a separate form; these pages do not send messages automatically.
Plan receiving inspection before the shipment arrives
Use the order agreement to prepare the receiving checklist. Confirm that labels and packing information identify the part, revision, quantity and manufacturing lot expected on the purchase order. Compare the delivered documentation with the agreed list before drawing conclusions from the product appearance. A missing report is a documentation gap; it is not automatically evidence that the physical test failed, and it should not be silently ignored.
Separate characteristics inspected at the supplier from those rechecked on receipt. A buyer may verify dimensions on a sample, check the configuration label on every packaged item, and review a supplier test summary. These are different activities with different coverage. Record the inspection unit, lot definition and the action taken when a discrepancy appears. If the receiving team cannot reproduce a reported result, preserve its method and equipment details so the difference can be investigated.
Sampling requires an agreed basis. Do not turn a convenient sample count into a universal acceptance rule or assume that an accepted sample proves every unit is defect-free. Define how the lot is formed, how samples are selected, what defects or characteristics are considered, and who determines the response. The applicable contract, standard and product risk determine the actual plan. If screening is required, specify the screening method and limitations explicitly.
Keep changes, substitutions and concessions visible
A release package is more than a collection of files with similar names. Identify the approved revision for each controlled document and agree how later changes become effective. If fabrication data is revised while an assembly BOM stays unchanged, state whether the two are an approved combination. The same discipline applies to firmware and test programs, which can change what a functional result means without changing the board artwork.
When a requirement cannot be met, a concession is a specific authorized decision about the affected product. Record the requirement, observed condition, affected quantity or identifiers, technical evaluation, approval and any restrictions. Do not treat a one-lot concession as permanent permission for future builds. Rework also needs an authorized instruction and verification route; the resulting report should retain the connection to the original nonconformance.
Agree which changes require advance customer approval, what information is sent with the request and how work in progress is handled. This is particularly useful for component substitutions, manufacturing-site changes, material changes and test-scope reductions. An early discussion can prevent a buyer receiving a technically plausible product that is nevertheless outside the released order requirements.
Decide what is delivered and what is retained
A shipment summary, certificate of conformity and raw test export are not interchangeable. Name the required deliverables, their file formats and the identifiers that connect them to the product. If a record stays with the supplier, agree retention and retrieval expectations, permitted disclosure and the responsible contact. Avoid requesting confidential records from another customer as proof of capability; a redacted example or controlled demonstration can explain the format without disclosing that customer鈥檚 information.
For the first order, review a proposed blank report structure before production. Confirm that it can capture the drawing revision, method, required units, result, exceptions and review decision. This catches misunderstandings while the fields can still be adjusted. For repeat orders, keep the structure stable enough to compare performance, while recording approved changes to limits and methods. A lower defect count has little meaning if the definition or inspection coverage changed between reports.
Bring unresolved points to the project enquiry together with the current files and requested quantity. State which quality records are essential to your purchase decision and which are optional. This lets the scope, lead time and price account for the required engineering, inspection and documentation work.