Yes there is a difference. Wicking is the presence of plated copper along glass fiber paths evident by x-section (as examined after microetch). There could be glass fractured pathways that aren’t part of the wicking evaluation. If your customer wants a more in-depth fractured glass evaluation, as part of acceptance testing or CAF (beyond just wicking measurements), they would have to specify it in the procurement documentation, as it is not a part of 6012/A600 acceptance testing.


José (Joey) Ríos, Sr QA Engineer
Mission Assurance Manager
Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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(617)324-6272




> On Jul 27, 2017, at 10:21 AM, [log in to unmask] wrote:
> 
> Fellow TechNetters:
> 
>   I am searching for a clarification on the above stated IPC Standard.   Is there a distinction between wicking and fractures glass rods/laminate.   Is wicking always accompanied by coper plating?   In my experience CAF only requires a laminate integrity anomaly to start the process of migration.   All comments/discussions  welcomed.
> 
> Victor,