Patent ID: 7003477

Claim:
A method for certifying that a first manufacturing facility is capable of producing quality printed circuit boards or printed circuit board assemblies of a first particular type, said method comprising the steps of: performing an inspection of at least one second manufacturing facility, wherein said at least one second manufacturing facility is known to produce quality printed circuit boards or printed circuit board assemblies of said first particular type; preparing a first manufacturing process setup standard based on said inspection; performing an audit of said first manufacturing facility against said first manufacturing process setup standard; and issuing a process certification to said first manufacturing facility if said first manufacturing facility passes said audit; wherein said printed circuits or printed circuit assemblies are also of a second particular type and wherein said method further comprises the additional steps of: performing a second inspection of at least one third manufacturing facility known to produce good printed circuits or printed circuit assemblies of said second particular type; preparing a second manufacturing process setup standard based on said second inspection of said at least one third manufacturing facility; performing a second audit on said first manufacturing facility against said second manufacturing process setup standard; and issuing a second certification to said first manufacturing facility if said first manufacturing facility passes said second audit; and wherein; said first particular type is through-hole printed circuit boards; said second particular type is surface mount printed circuit boards; and at least one of said inspections or audits is carried out at least in part using a temperature measuring device.