The Importance of High-Quality IPC and STI Training Services in the Soldering Industry
In the soldering industry, all workers need to be consistent and highly trained. Since soldering professionals usually work in the electronics manufacturing industry, there’s little room for error and a lot of room for constant improvement. Electronic appliances and gadgets keep becoming more and more advanced every year. As products become more intricate, assembling and soldering them becomes even more challenging.
The number of soldering professionals is growing every year at a small but steady rate of 1.04%. Hence, the need for standardization in the industry has never been more urgent. Every soldering professional must be on the same page with his or her fellow professionals in the industry. If the industry’s soldering experts get standardized and improve their skillsets via training, the electronics industry will be able to produce more efficient products that not only meet consumer standards but also exceed them. This is where the importance of the Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits (formerly known as Institute of Printed Circuits) comes in.
What is IPC? And What is IPC training?
The Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits or commonly known as the IPC, is the country’s leading trade association in the field of electronic equipment. This organization aims to standardize the requirements of the electronic equipment industry.
It brings together thousands of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers, assembly companies, designers, board manufacturers, and soldering professionals to advance their aspirations of achieving competitive excellence on a global scale. Of course, soldering professionals who receive training as per the IPC’s guidelines on top of their specialized training are more likely to attain financial success in the industry.
That’s because, in the electronics industry, all reputable electronics companies (e.g., STI) subscribe to the rules and tents of IPC Standards. Surface Technology International (STI), for instance, is a leading electronics company. They prefer to employ soldering professionals who receive both IPC training and specialized STI Training Services. Soldering professionals who are not familiar with IPC standards are unlikely to find high-paying jobs in the electronics manufacturing industry.
Why Soldering Professionals Must Get these Training
Soldering professionals generally receive very little education about the soldering profession in their schools. They have to rely on IPC, STI, and other types of specialized training to become employable. A highly-trained soldering professional can work 40 hours a week earn good remuneration. But, most soldering professionals choose to work overtime to compensate for their lack of specialized skills. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 20% of soldering professionals in the country have to work more than 50 hours per week.
These are the professionals who don’t have highly advanced skills to secure high-paying jobs. So, making the decision between receiving and not receiving IPC, STI, and other types of specialized training is akin to deciding whether you want a high-paying job that’ll test your skills or a low-paying job that’ll test your ability to toil. Here are other reasons why these specialized training programs are so vital –
Understand the Employers’ Perspectives
To understand the importance of receiving IPC, STI, and other types of specialized training, we must first understand how original equipment manufacturers or other electronics manufacturing companies think. These companies usually start as small and local shops. After years of staying updated about the advancements in the electronics manufacturing industry, they manage to become large industry players. These companies’ growth compels them to adopt new practices and technologies in order to stay competitive.
From their perspective, maintaining efficient, consistent, and high-quality production standards are the only ways to stay successful in the super-competitive electronics manufacturing industry. That’s why they only hire IPC certified soldering professionals who are up to date with the latest technological advancements in the electronics manufacturing industry. A top company, like STI, will only hire soldering professionals who receive specialized STI training.
Maintaining Consistency in the Electronics Manufacturing Industry
Consistency is as important as profitability in the electronics manufacturing industry. In fact, one follows the other. The more consistent an electronics manufacturing company is, the likelier it is to attain industry success in the long run. Top electronics manufacturing companies view the practice of hiring soldering professionals who receive IPC certification as a way of maintaining consistency.
By hiring these certified soldering experts, they can guarantee that their electronic products will be manufactured as per IPC guidelines and standards. Consistency in industrial procedures has a direct correlation to customer satisfaction. Electronics manufacturing companies can only expect repeat business if their products consistently deliver high-quality results. Plus, certified soldering professionals are likelier to be compliant and follow IPC standards.
Cost Reductions
Electronics manufacturing companies that produce their goods in a consistent manner are blessed with significant cost reductions. The conditions laid out in IPC guidelines and courses compel every certified soldering professional to scrutinize every product in the assembly line in a similar way. Such high levels of scrutiny decrease the number of re-assemblies or rework. In other words, a soldering professional who has received specialized training is less likely to mess up and cost their company valuable production time.