I would not use those boards.  We specify IPC-A-600 (rev E) - Class 2.  I
just browsed the section, it looks like the bitmap you sent fails all three
classes.  If your vendor can't solve the problem, I would start looking for
a new vendor.  We use three different vendors, I know that all three would
be extremely embarrassed - and would take the boards back no questions asked.

At 12:44 5/8/96, [log in to unmask] wrote:
>
>     We are an Australian manufacturer of electronic Telecommunications and 
>     Automated Fare Collection equipment. We use PCBs manufactured both 
>     within Australia and overseas, specifying in all cases manufacture to 
>     IPC-RB-276 standard.
>     
>     We have recently discovered among our incoming goods widespread 
>     incidence of annular ring breakout on the via holes of numerous 
>     multi-layer boards. It appears to be the result of incorrect 
>     registration during manufacture. The attached file contains an image 
>     (in Windows Paintbrush Bitmap format) of a typical example on a 
>     finished product.
>     
>     We are not overly concerned about the 90deg. and 180deg. hole breakout 
>     cases, but greatly worried by the conductor/annular ring junction 
>     cases. The functional tests of our finished products using these 
>     boards show no malfunctions, but we are very suspicious about the 
>     long-term reliability aspects. This is particularly so with those 
>     finished boards whose design service environment is 60degC (140degF) 
>     and >80% humidity.
>     
>     We would be very grateful for opinions and/or assistance from people 
>     with past experience of such a problem and first-hand knowledge of the 
>     long-term reliability implications.
>     
>     
>     Thanks in advance for your help.
>     
>     Eugenio Bini
>     Mechanical Components Engineer
>     
>     ERG Telecommunications Ltd.
>     247 Balcatta Rd.
>     Balcatta WA 6021
>     Australia
>     Tel.: +61-9-2731174
>     Fax.: +61-9-2731173
>     Email: [log in to unmask]
>
>The following is an attached File item from cc:Mail.  It contains
>eight bit information which had to be encoded to insure successful trans-
>mission through various mail systems.  To decode the file use the UUDECODE
>program.
>--------------------------------- Cut Here ---------------------------------
>
>Attachment Converted: C:\EUDORA\ATTACH\pcb1.bmp
>
>
>

-Pat-

-------------
Patrick McGuine
Nicolet Instrument
[log in to unmask]
(608) 276-6334