How did you come to introduce IPC?

In the early 1990s, when we spoke with suppliers in China and Taiwan, “IPC” came up frequently from them. Knowing that suppliers in Asian countries were instructed by the Western manufacturers from whom they placed orders to manufacture in accordance with IPC, we decided to adopt IPC in conjunction with our own standards, judging that information on IPC was indispensable for our global expansion. The contents of the IPC are also stipulated more broadly, finely, and deeply than those of the IEC and JIS, while also working closely with the IEC, which is an international standard.

What standards were you manufacturing to before that?

We were proceeding within JIS, the standards of each supplier and client, and our own quality standards. However, JIS defines the minimum standards to be followed, but does not cover everything. The same is true for the specifications of clients, which vary in style and level. Overseas, the ordering side requires that the IPC be adopted as a condition for placing an order, and the side that receives the order, such as EMS, must also comply with this.

What are the benefits and positive aspects of using IPC?

By aligning quality standards, which had been difficult to standardize in our company, with IPC, judgment criteria became clearer and the defect rate due to quality variations was reduced. In addition, the production staff and quality inspectors are now able to have the same standards of judgment, making communication easier.

On the other hand, IPC covers many areas, but based on its own product specifications, the processes necessary for quality improvement are defined as its own standards. Translating in-house standards into multiple languages and deploying them in other countries requires a great deal of effort and cost. By adopting IPC, which has already been translated extensively, we were able to achieve significant cost reductions and quality stabilization at the same time.

How about the benefits for global business?

The IPC has been translated into many languages, including Spanish, Chinese and Thai, as well as Japanese and English, and has been very helpful in extending IPC-based Japanese mother factory practices and quality standards to other factories around the world.

When doing business in Japan, JIS will suffice. When you expand your business globally, you are always faced with IPC. Also, when entering a new business, it is sometimes difficult to determine to what extent quality standards should be set. In such cases, it is possible to start with internationally recognized quality standards based on IPC and gradually establish your own standards to improve quality.

Advice for companies considering IPC

The IPC is very easy to understand, with detailed explanations of the work with pictures and images. It is like a textbook or reference book. If we use it as a standard and utilize it for our own use, we will be able to give precise instructions to our operators. IPC is also important for building relationships with overseas manufacturers; it has a positive effect on many aspects, including manufacturing efficiency, quality uniformity, and business expansion. I hope you will make good use of it.