For those of you in the PCB business, the IPC 4101 is a mainstay of your industry. Titled “Specification for Base Materials for Rigid and Multilayer Printed Boards,” it provides the requirements for base materials more commonly referred to as either prepreg or laminate. Now there’s a new Revision D that’s just been released and it’s available from Document Center Inc. Best news of all — if you’re a member of IPC, Document Center can now honor your IPC discounted member price!
There’s two helpful things to understand about the IPC 4101. First it has a classification system that connects the IPC 4101 system to prior ones. Second, it has a series of what are called Specification Sheets which outline the requirements for both laminate and prepreg for each product grade.
The new Revision D has been reformated, eliminating the 2 column layout used in the past. This change to a 1 column layout accounts for some of the increase in page length of the new revision. But there are also a number of new clauses as well:
- 3.9.2.2.9, Physical Requirements of Prepreg Materials – Thermal Conductivity (Prepreg Reference)
- 3.10.1.8, Chemical Requirements – Decomposition Temperature (Optional Test)
- 3.10.1.9, Chemical Requirements – Time to Delaminate (TMA)(Optional Test)
- 3.10.2.3, Chemical Requirements of Prepreg Materials – Presence of Dicyandiamide (Dicy) (Optional Test)
If you’re using the IPC 4101 to specify the base material for your printed boards, be they rigid or flexible, you’ll want to get a copy of this new update. Head for the Document Center website at www.document-center.com. Search for and order any IPC standard you need. And if you’re an IPC member, just let us know in the order notes section. Our staff will make sure that you get the discount that comes with your membership.
Questions? Contact our staff by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com). We’re located in the heart of Silicon Valley and have support the technology sector since our founding in 1982. We have the expertise to help you with the challenges that come with using this type of information. And we have a number of products and services that can help you maintain your standards collection easily and confidently. Make us your Standards Experts!
