BANNOCKBURN, IL — A new report details quality control measurements including first-pass yields for various test methods in use at electronics assemblers.

IPC's "Study of Quality Benchmarks for Electronics Assembly 2016" also covers yields and defect rates at final inspection, internal yields of key processes, and DPMO and yield targets.

The annual study compares quality measurements to industry averages. The aggregate data represent 94 electronics assembly companies of all sizes from North America, Europe and Asia.

Average cost of poor quality as a percentage of sales for rework, scrap and labor time for touch-up after wave soldering are reported. The study also reports on the use of various quality control methods. Customer satisfaction and supplier performance metrics are covered, as well as the industry's adoption of major quality certifications.

The data — in averages, medians and percentiles — are segmented by company size tier, by region, and by type of production including rigid PCBs, flexible circuits, end products, mechanical assembly, cable and harness, discrete wiring terminal and connectors, and rigid back planes.

The 150-page report is free to companies that participated in the survey and for sale to IPC members for $675 and to nonmembers for $1,350.

Register now for PCB West, the Silicon Valley's largest trade show for the printed circuit industry, taking place Sept. 13-15 in Santa Clara: pcbwest.com