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Introduction In many IPC standards development meetings, those individuals responsible for assessing the quality of incoming unpopulated printed boards have lamented the fact that bare printed board cleanliness is often an unknown quality parameter, often with undesired results. This is often due to the lack of understanding of materials and processes by the fabricator, or more often because the industry has driven margins so low that experienced process professionals cannot be retained by the fabricator.

Therefore, the IPC 5-32c Bare Board Cleanliness Task Group resolved to generate guidelines on those factors in the printed board fabrication process which can directly or indirectly affect the final cleanliness of packaged bare printed boards. This document is intended to be a general tutorial on items in the printed board fabrication process which can affect, directly or indirectly, cleanliness.