IPC/WHMA-A-620

The industry consensus standard for cable and wire harness fabrication and installation. First published in 2002, it is the only industry-consensus standard for requirements and acceptance of cable and wire harness assemblies.

Classes of Equipment

The standard defines three classes of products. At AI AutoWire, our prototyping facility operates strictly at Class 3.

• Class 1: General Electronic Products (Toys, consumer goods).
• Class 2: Dedicated Service Electronic Products (Computers, telecom).
• Class 3: High Performance/Harsh Environment Electronic Products (Aerospace, life support, automotive safety systems).

Common Class 3 Requirements

Class 3 requires absolute precision. For example, a crimp cannot have a single severed strand of wire. Solder joints must show perfect wetting. Tie wraps cannot pinch the wire insulation to the point of deformation.