Rob Reliability is a number. Its the probability that a given entity does the expected job after a given time under given stress. Class 1, 2, 3 are not defined by the reliability of the product but by the application. High reliability is an arbitrary expression which means high expectations to the reliability. No numbers are given. Best regards Guenter _____________________________________________________ EMPA Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research Centre for Reliability Guenter Grossmann, Senior Engineer 8600 Duebendorf Switzerland Phone: xx41 44 823 4279 Fax : xx41 1 823 4054 mail: [log in to unmask] _____________________________________________________ >>> Rob Strecker <[log in to unmask]> 09/19/07 4:15 pm >>> I was wondering if there is any documentation out there stating the reliability of products built to IPC class 1 compared to class 2 or 3? We are a class 2 manufacture and are looking at reducing our inspections, however will this put us in the class 1 category by default if we only catch defects at functional test? What inspection must we do in order to maintain class 2? Thanks, Rob --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 -----------------------------------------------------