ViaSat, Inc.
Process Area:
Quality
Name of Document:
Standard for Workmanship and General Practices
1
Document Number:
070-QA-044
Process Category:
Quality
Revision:
04
Page:
1 of 40
Purpose and Scope
To establish procedures and ensure consistency in requirements for general workmanship and standard
practices of electronics hardware.
The documents referenced herein shall represent the minimum workmanship standards for all fabricated
printed circuit boards, electronic sub-assemblies and assemblies, as well as mechanical assemblies, which
represent ViaSat products. The requirements herein are applicable not only to ViaSat and its Divisions but
all contracted product for which this standard would be imposed.
2
Table of Contents
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Purpose and Scope ................................................................................................................... 1
Table of Contents..................................................................................................................... 1
General Procedure ................................................................................................................... 1
Metal Fabrication Workmanship Requirements ...................................................................... 3
Welding and Brazing Workmanship Requirements ................................................................ 6
Mechanical Assemblies ........................................................................................................... 7
Cleaning of Parts and Assemblies ........................................................................................... 9
Wiring/Cable Crimping and Installation Workmanship ........................................................ 10
Acceptance Criteria for Circular Coax Crimps ..................................................................... 14
Handling of Equipment ...................................................................................................... 18
Cosmetic Inspection Criteria.............................................................................................. 18
11.1
Purpose and Scope ...................................................................................................... 18
Inspection Purpose ...................................................................................................... 18
11.3
Terms and Defect Definitions..................................................................................... 18
11.4
Preferred Appearance Quality .................................................................................... 36
11.5
Surface Categories ...................................................................................................... 37
11.6
Light Source ............................................................................................................... 37
11.7
Inspection Table Surface ............................................................................................ 38
11.8
Viewing Time ............................................................................................................. 38
11.9
Viewing Orientation ................................................................................................... 38
11.10
Magnification Tools ................................................................................................... 38
11.11
Viewing Distance ....................................................................................................... 38
11.12
Acceptable Defects Matrix ......................................................................................... 39
12
11.2
3
References .......................................................................................................................... 44
General Procedure
Verify all workmanship attributes comply with drawing specifications as well as the appropriate reference
standard Workmanship
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Name of Document:
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Document Number:
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All procedures applied in the manufacture of products as referenced in Section 4 are expected to be in
accordance with the best manufacturing practices that will produce the highest quality products. ViaSat,
Inc. or any Divisions, as the Buyer, reserves the right to review all Supplier procedures on workmanship
practices during a process audit under the AS9100 / ISO 9001 Quality Management System or any
additional or subsequent systems that ViaSat, Inc. may deem necessary to impose. Those procedures
should detail or reference practices such as:
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soldering practices as specified in IPC documents
marking of parts and assemblies
wiring assembly and installation practices
welding and brazing practices
plating practices
riveting practices
surface finishing practices (e.g., faying, sealing, painting, sanding, conformal coating,
passivation, etc.)
machining operations practices
screw assembly practices
deburring practices
sharp edges removal practices
proper removal of unwanted contaminates and surface films
The Supplier shall schedule and perform inspections on the contracted product throughout the
manufacturing process to insure compliance with approved procedures for workmanship practices.
Examples of areas to be inspected are:
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mounting and installing parts and subassemblies
cleaning of parts and assemblies
installation of threaded fasteners and rivets
installation of gear and bearing assemblies
assembly of wiring
installation of wiring
soldering, welding and brazing
The Supplier should develop inspection checklists so that consistent inspections can be conducted to
insure good workmanship.
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Metal Fabrication Workmanship Requirements
SURFACE ROUGHNESS
Unless otherwise specified, surface roughness shall be no greater than a 125 micro inch finish.
BURRS AND SHARP EDGES
Definition
A burr is a rough or irregular piece of material that typically occurs at the edge of a part feature. The burr
is usually the result of the part fabrication process.
Burr Types

Tight Burr – A burr that is strongly attached to the part. The burr cannot be moved or dislodged.
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Rolled-over Burr – A burr that is curled over on itself. Concern is that contaminates can be
trapped in the burr.
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Embedded Burr – Any burr that has been pressed into the base metal. The burr cannot be
moved or dislodged.
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Loose Burr – A burr that is not firmly attached to the part. The burr can be moved or dislodged.
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Feather Burr – A very thin or fine burr typically less than .001” thick. The burr can be moved or
dislodged.
Deburring Requirements
Unless otherwise specified, when the drawing specifies that the fabricated item shall be deburred, Table 1
shall be used to determine the acceptability or non-acceptability of burrs according to the specified part
class. The requirement is applicable to all edges and corners.
Burr removal shall not result in a chamfer or radius that exceeds .015 inches, or one-quarter of the
material thickness, or the maximum edge break radius as specified on the drawing, whichever is smaller.
After the deburring process the parts shall meet the dimensional tolerances specified on the drawing.
Part Classifications

Class 1 - General Service Parts
Non critical parts. Can include commercial parts and special test equipment (STE). Includes
applications where burrs would not impact product functionality or cosmetic requirements.
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Class 2 - Dedicated Service Parts
Includes military and commercial parts where high performance and extended life is required.
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Class 3 - High Reliability Parts
Includes space, military, and commercial parts where continued performance or performance on
demand is critical. Equipment failures or downtime cannot be tolerated and must function when
required.
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Table 1. Burr Acceptability Criteria
Part Classification
Criteria
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Inspection
Magnification
None
10X
30X
Allowable Burr Type
(unless specified on
drawing)
Tight Burr, Embedded
Burr
Tight Burr, Embedded
Burr
Tight Burr, Embedded
Burr
Part Dimensions
Burr does not violate
overall part dimensional
requirements
Burr does not violate
overall part dimensional
requirements
Burr does not violate
overall part dimensional
requirements
Part Function
Does not affect part
form or function as
determined by
engineering.
Does not affect part
form or function as
determined by
engineering.
Does not affect part
form or function as
determined by
engineering.
Acceptable Burr
Locations
Non-critical areas of
part as determined by
engineering.
Non-critical areas of
part as determined by
engineering.
Non-critical areas of
part as determined by
engineering.
Burr Attachment
Condition
Not removable by hand
or tweezers.
Not removable by hand
or tweezers.
Not removable by hand
or tweezers.
Post Burr Removal
Condition
Does not violate overall
part dimensional
requirements
Does not violate overall
part dimensional
requirements
Does not violate overall
part dimensional
requirements
Does not affect part
form or function
Does not affect part
form or function
Does not affect part
form or function
Exposed base metal
must be approved by
engineering.
Exposed base metal
must be covered by an
engineering approved
coating.
Exposed base metal
must be covered by an
engineering approved
coating.
Post Burr Removal Base Metal Repair
If exposed base metal is left as the result of burr removal, the vendor shall notify the buyer listed on the
PO and provide the location and size of the exposed base metal. The buyer will then contact the
cognizant engineer who shall determine whether the base metal can be left as is or shall specify the
coating and application method for covering the base metal.
INSIDE SHARP CORNERS
Inside sharp corners shown, but not specified as such on the drawing, may have a .015 inch maximum
radius, or .015 inch maximum chamfer.
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THREAD RELIEF
Unless otherwise noted on the drawing, thread reliefs shall be as follows:
External: The relief diameter shall be equal to:
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Minimum minor diameter +.000/-.010 inches for threads .25 inch diameter and under.
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Minimum minor diameter +.000/-.020 inches for threads over .25 inch diameter
Internal: The relief diameter shall be equal to:
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Maximum major diameter +.020"/-.000 inches for threads .25 inch diameter and under.
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Maximum major diameter +.040"/-.000 inches for threads over .25 inch diameter
Length of the thread relief shall not exceed 2-1/2 threads.
CONCENTRICITY
Unless otherwise specified, all diameters shown concentric to each other shall be concentric within .010
total indicator runout.
PERPENDICULARITY OF HOLES
Unless otherwise specified, clearance holes shown perpendicular to a surface shall be perpendicular
within 0.5 degrees. Unless otherwise specified, tapped holes shown perpendicular to a surface shall be
perpendicular within 1.0 degree.
PARALLELISM OF PLANE SURFACES
Unless otherwise specified, all machined or sheared surfaces shown parallel shall be so within the
tolerance zone for given length of the surface shown by Figure 1 and Table 1.
Figure 1. Parallelism for Plane Surfaces
Table 1. Parallelism Length/Tolerance
Length (inches)
Tolerance (inches)
0.00 – 1.00
.003
1.00 – 3.00
.005
3.00 – 5.00
.010
5.00 – 25.00
.015
25.0 – 60.0
.050
If tolerance exceeds tolerance on the drawing, the drawing tolerance shall take precedence.
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FLATNESS
Machined surfaces shall be flat within .002 inch/inch.
SQUARENESS OF 90 DEGREE BENDS
Sheet metal bends shown as 90 on drawing shall be 90 +/- 1.0 degree. All formed parts shall have
minimum bend reliefs where required.
GRAIN DIRECTION
Unless otherwise specified, grain direction in formed metal parts may run in any direction convenient to
manufacturing, provided these parts do not fracture at bends.
COUNTERBORE AND SPOTFACE FILLET RADII
Counterbore and spotface fillet radii shown as sharp shall be sharp to:
 .010 maximum radius for bore sizes between 0.00 and 1.00 inches
 .030 maximum radius for bore sizes between 1.00 and 2.00 inches
TANGENCY OF FILLETS AND ROUNDS
Fillets and rounds shown tangent to adjacent surfaces shall fair smoothly with tangent surfaces +/- .005
inches.
5
Welding and Brazing Workmanship Requirements
FILLER MATERIAL
Filler material shall be of compatible material as part being welded or brazed.
BUTT WELDS
Unless otherwise specified, all butt weld joints shall have complete penetration.
WELD SIZES
Fillet weld sizes shall be at least 140% of the thickness of the thinner material unless specified otherwise.
JOINT APPEARANCE
Welds shall be free from harmful defects (e.g., cracks, porosity, undercuts, voids, and gaps). All welds
and brazes shall show no burn-through. Weld bead appearance, cross-section and ripples shall be uniform
and smooth.
GRINDING
Grinding shall affect the minimum area possible to satisfy the drawing requirements. Welds shall not be
ground unless required by drawing.
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Mechanical Assemblies
6.1 When mounting and installing parts and/or subassemblies, the following practices will be adhered to
wherever applicable:
 Assembled parts and hardware should be secured or mounted in a manner that
satisfactorily accomplishes the intended purpose without degrading or becoming
damaged in the environment in which they are to be used.
 Electronic equipment comprised of missing, inoperative, defective, bent, broken, or
otherwise damaged parts will be deemed unacceptable.
 Parts (e.g., hinges, catches, handles, knobs, etc.) installation should avoid damaging
adjacent hardware or the mounting surface.
 Rework to damaged finishes will be considered successfully performed when the surfaces
are touched-up with a continuous protective coating of identical composition as the
original coating material.
 The touch-up color should match the original finish such that the blended colors are not
visually noticeable.
6.2 Installation of Threaded Fasteners and Rivets
Threaded fasteners and rivets should be carefully selected and applied so as to produce a safe, noncorroding, functional and long-lived joining of materials. Commonly practiced procedures,
guidelines and requirements are:
 Screws, nuts and bolts should show no evidence of cross threading, mutilation, or
detrimental or hazardous burrs.
 The mixing of fasteners composed of different metals should be strictly controlled (e.g.,
steel nuts against aluminum flat washers) because dissimilar metals encourage corrosion
and unequal resistance to mechanical stresses. Exceptions would include breakaway
applications.
 Uneven/over stresses between soft and hard materials should be avoided because such
stresses cause unwanted fatigue or early failure (e.g., steel screws fastening plastic
pieces, aluminum screws to stainless steel nuts, etc.).
 All screw-type fasteners should be tight. Tight is defined as the screw or rivet being
firmly secured with no noticeable movement between the attached parts before or after
applying maximum force by hand without tools. It should be noted that tight may not
guarantee unloosening, over time, due to vibration and movement between joined
metals.
 In critical applications or whenever tightening of fasteners is insufficient, the Supplier
manufacturing processes should specify the proper torque requirements for threaded
fasteners.
 Self-locking fasteners and lock-wiring will be acceptable when specified on the
engineering drawing.
 Split-ring lock washers may be used if buffered by flat washers when specified on the
engineering drawing.
 Star lock washers will not be allowed.
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 Anti-seizing chemical locking agents (e.g., Loctite) may be used and only sparingly,
with the exception of instances when grounding bonds of less than 0.10 Ohm are
required as specified on the engineering drawing.
 The riveting operation should be carefully performed such that the rivets are tight and
satisfactorily headed with the rivet heads tightly seated against their bearing surface.
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Cleaning of Parts and Assemblies
The proper methods for cleaning parts and assemblies during the fabrication of product are essential in
assuring the expected performance and long operational life. The subsequent procedures are offered as
examples of acceptable cleanliness practices.
Product shall be cleaned of:
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loose, spattered or excess solder
weld metal
metal chips
mold release agents
smudges
any other foreign material which might detract from the intended operation, function, or
acceptable appearance of the product
unwanted particles that could loosen or become dislodged during the normal expected life
of the product
all corrosive material prior to parts assembly into the product
contaminants (e.g., lubricating oils, mold release agents, waxes, sand, corrosion products,
solder fluxes, finger prints, dust, etc.)
all contaminants without incurring damage or change of electrical and mechanical
properties of the product by using the safest and most appropriate agent and methods
After cleaning, the product should be allowed to dry. Any remaining loose contaminants should be blown
or vacuumed away, and all moving parts and assemblies should be relubricated according to design
requirements. In addition, post inspection should reveal no damage, unusual wear or presence of
contamination on the product.
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Wiring/Cable Crimping and Installation Workmanship
Requirements
ViaSat and all ViaSat Subcontractors or Suppliers performing wiring/cable crimping operations shall
implement the following steps to ensure proper tooling is used and maintained, resulting in acceptable
connector contact crimps:
1. Tooling and assembly procedures for wiring shall be per Manufacturers' instructions unless
otherwise specified herein.
2. ViaSat Manufacturing Engineering & Quality Engineering shall review the cable assembly
drawings with the Supplier and discuss the assembly materials, tooling and processes to be
utilized to manufacture acceptable wiring/cable assemblies.
3. All BOM items shall be reviewed. Extra contact pins shall be required to develop the wiring
or cable assembly process and perform the necessary tooling verification tests prior to
assembly of production units.
4. Each contact or pin to be crimped shall require specific tooling and this shall be reviewed
with the cable manufacturer.
5. All crimp tooling shall be uniquely and permanently identified with a part number and serial
number (e.g., S/N 1, 2, 3) and shall be under the calibration control program of the cable
manufacturer. As such, a sticker shall be added to each tool stating the calibration interval.
Note: In the case of crimpers that use exchangeable die sets, the handles and dies shall each
individually be serialized and controlled.
6. The proper wiring/cable preparation and crimping process shall be contained in adequate
instructions and referenced in assembly drawings or other appropriate assembly
documentation.
7. The visual acceptance criteria for circular coaxial connector contact crimps (which is not
covered by IPC documentation) shall be discussed, and reviewed against the ViaSat
acceptance criteria procedure (see Reference Documents section.)
8. First Articles of contact crimps, and a detailed first article inspection (FAI) report shall be
provided to ViaSat by the wiring/cable manufacturer as required by contract. The First
Articles shall be presented to ViaSat for approval such that the cable crimps can be reviewed
and inspected without any cable disassembly.
9. In the case of coaxial crimps, a set of go/no-go gauge tools shall be provided by the
wiring/cable manufacturer and used to ensure the dimensions of the coaxial crimp tooling is
acceptable for the contacts specified on the drawing. An optional method to be measurement
of completed crimps to specifications by the crimp contact manufacturer.
10. Operator and Inspector training shall be provided by the wiring/cable manufacturer (both
visual and gauge tooling checks) for acceptable crimps per requirements. It shall record
names, dates and type of training performed. The Manufacturer, in their training, shall
instruct each Operator performing any contact crimps that it is their responsibility to ensure
these crimps are acceptable per the specification applicable before handing the cable
assemblies to the next operation.
11. A Crimp Tooling Logbook shall be created for crimp tooling, and shall accommodate
logging of results of daily a) inspection results of crimp tooling, b) gauge tool checks and c)
visual inspection results obtained on the first three (3) production contact crimps produced
with the tooling.
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12. At the start of each day’s production of assembly wiring/cables, Manufacturing or Quality
personnel shall inspect the following and log in the Crimp Tooling Logbook:
a. The condition of the crimp tooling. The wear conditions shall be noted, along with any
other visual abnormalities noted.
b. Results of the gauge tool check or measurement in the case of coaxial crimp tooling.
c. The first three (3) production crimps produced with a tool shall be inspected for
acceptance per specified criteria, and results noted.
 If acceptable, the tooling shall be released for use for the day for production crimping.
 If, however, any contact crimps fail inspection, then production use with this tool shall
be withheld until a failure investigation is completed. The Manufacturer may swap
out another qualified and released tool/die set for production use, provided the
successful daily check of that replacement tool is noted in the Crimp Tooling
Logbook. The cause of the rejects shall be identified, and logged in the crimp-tooling
logbook.
 If the failed crimps are determined to be the result of operator error it shall be
recorded in the logbook. The tooling shall then be closely inspected under
magnification to ensure the operator did not damage it during the crimping of the
previous 3 units. In the case of coaxial crimps, an additional check shall be done
with either the go/no-go gauge of the tool or measurement of the final crimped
contact to verify acceptable dimensions. Results of these checks shall be logged.
To verify that it was indeed operator error, the operator shall repeat the crimping
operation on another three (3) production crimps. If there are no visual failures,
then the tooling can be released for daily production use.
 If the failure analysis determines the crimp failures to be due to crimp tooling wear
or malfunction, then the tooling shall not be released for production use. Again,
this shall be noted in the tooling logbook.
 Any tooling that fails inspection, or gauge tool or measurement checks, must be
repaired or replaced prior to use in production. Sufficient evidence of repair or
replacement shall be available.
13. During production, each Operator shall be responsible for the quality of the contact crimps
they produce. Verification of tooling to the Contact Manufacturer specification shall be
completed prior to use. ViaSat encourages use of a “buddy system” whereby an Assembler
performs a crimp, then performs a self-check to ensure the crimp is satisfactory before
moving material to the next operation. The next Assembler in the process flow would then
perform a quick check to ensure contacts are crimped properly and may now be processed
through the next assembly sequence.
14. In-process Inspection shall be performed on contact crimps prior to any higher-level or
subsequent assembly steps that may obscure full view of the crimps. Final Inspection shall be
performed on the completed cable assemblies. All results shall be recorded and maintained
per the manufacturer’s Quality Management System documentation as appropriate.
15. All assembly, tooling logbook entries and production/inspection data shall be subject to
ViaSat (or ViaSat’s Subcontractor) review and acceptance.
When installing wiring within an enclosure, the following practices shall be adhered to wherever
applicable:
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a. Insulated wire running between equipment or subassemblies within one piece of
equipment (e.g., between drawers or chassis and module subassemblies) should be
formed into cables or ducted wherever possible.
b. Wire and wire bundles routed through holes in paneling or enclosure walls should be
protected with suitable insulated material (e.g., hole grommets).
c. Wires and cables should be positioned or protected to avoid contact with rough or
irregular surfaces and sharp edges.
d. Wire dress or bundling of wires should not result in improper electrical operation or
interference with mechanical operation that could lead to subsequent damage of the wire
or cable.
e. Wiring/wire bundles should be securely supported and carefully routed to minimize
chafing and abrasion, small bend radii (no less than three times the wire or bundle
diameter) riding against sharp edges and hard surfaces, loosing of wire bundles, and
occurrence of hotspots at the middle of wire bundles.
f. Riding conditions between wire/wire bundles on hard, sharp edges or surfaces shall be
deemed unacceptable.
g. Cold-flowing characteristics of installed wiring should always be known, understood and
be taken into account when implementing wire routing and bundling schemes.
h. Lacing of cabling should be applied firmly, yet not with excessive pressure such that it
could cut into conductor insulation (e.g., plastic cable ties and “stitch-lock” type lacing
tape are acceptable materials for lacing), as well as be neat and orderly in appearance.
i. Cable or wiring harnesses should be anchored to avoid damage to conductors or adjacent
parts.
j. Wire bundles and cables should always be fixed such that there is minimum or no
mechanical stresses (radial, torsional or lateral stresses) at the terminated ends (no wire
movement at wire termination points, e.g., connectors/backshells, contacts, solder and
crimp joints, splices, etc.-minimizes the mechanical stresses).
k. Wire routing should be a safe distance from hot components to eliminate wire insulation
deterioration.
l. Generous use of lacing tape, plastic tie-wraps or other non-metallic cable clamps to
properly dress and stow wire bundles will be deemed acceptable practice.
m. Insulation should show no evidence of burns, abrading, or pinch marks that could cause
short circuits or current leakage. In addition, any condition or stress that exceeds the
voltage withstanding or insulation resistance characteristics should be eliminated.
n. Wires in a continuous run between two terminals should not be spliced during the
assembly of the product, except where a stranded conductor is spliced to a solid
conductor and the two are supported at the splice as allowed by the engineering drawing.
o. Clearance between wires/cables and heat generating parts (e.g., power semiconductors
and resistors) should be such as to avoid deterioration of the wires or cables from the heat
dissipated by these parts under the specified service conditions of the product.
p. Shielding on wires and cables should be secured in a manner that prevents contact or
shorting of exposed current-carrying parts.
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q. Shielding should terminate at sufficient distance from the exposed conductors of the
cable to prevent shorting or arcing between the cable conductor and the shielding. The
ends of the shielding or braid should be secured against fraying.
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Acceptance Criteria for Circular Coax Crimps
Circular ferrule crimps are not covered in IPC/WHMA-A-620 and therefore have no acceptance criteria
associated with them. It is the purpose of this document to provide the acceptance and rejection criteria
for those circular ferrule crimps to assist with proper assembly and inspection. Standard inspection
methods per IPC/WHMA-A-620 shall be applied for circular ferrule crimps. When applicable, this
procedure should be cited on the engineering drawing as the acceptance criteria. Inspections cited herein
are accomplished using a high-powered inspection scope with at least 10X magnification. Substitute
inspection scopes should be used to provide the necessary detail to detect the assembly defects cited
herein.
Note: for coaxial and twin-axial assemblies to function properly, it is critical that all assembly
instructions provided by the manufacturer be followed.
Defects/Rejectable Conditions
Defect: Axial Misalignment (See Figure 1) Deformation (banana) of the contact/terminal that affects
form, fit, function or reliability. This type of deformation may interfere with proper insertion or extraction
from connector assembly.
Figure 1. Axial Misalignment (Banana) of the Crimped Contact
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Defect: Ferrule Fractures and Cracks - Contact has visible fractures (See Figure 2) or cracks (See
Figure 3) in the formed ferrule.
Figure 2. Fractured Ferrule
Figure 3. Cracked Ferrule
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Defect: Dislocated Crimp - Crimp extends past crimp barrel out over the cable.
Defect: Lose Crimp - Ferrule and / or connector turns/moves on cable after crimping. This defect
indicates the shield and/or inner contact is not secured which may result in conditions such as
disconnected inner contact and/or unacceptable RF emissions.
Acceptable Conditions
Acceptable: Slight Deformation (See Figure 4) - Slight deformation or irregularity of the metal in crimp
ridge area due to wear and tear of tool. (Considered to be a process indicator.) Tool should be
serviced/repaired as soon as this condition appears in the crimps. No evidence of cracks or fractures under
a minimum of 10X magnification.
Figure 4. Slight Deformation in Crimp Ridge Area
Acceptable: Small Gap (See Figure 4) - Very small gap between outer and inner ferrules with no
evidence crimp is loose or will rotate/move in any way.
Acceptable: Uncentered Crimp - Crimp is not centered on crimp area of terminal but does not cause
damage to terminal or fail to hold.
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Target Condition
Target: No Deformations (See Figure 5 and 6) - Smooth straight crimp with no rough edges or
evidence of cracking or gaps. Part cannot be rotated or moved after crimping,
Figure 5. Smooth Crimp with No Evidence of Gaps or Cracks
Figure 6. Smooth and Straight Crimp
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10 Handling of Equipment
Proper handling of parts and equipment must be exercised to preclude physical and/or electrical damage
such as cracks, scratches, twists, fractures, etc. and the possibility of hidden damage such as that produced
by flexure of component leads, stressing of solder joints, over tightening of fasteners, electrostatic
discharge (ESD), etc. In process work is often particularly susceptible to such damage and, as such,
special precautions that may include special fixtures, stowage totes, etc. should be considered.
11 Cosmetic Inspection Criteria
11.1 Purpose and Scope
The purpose of this standard is to define and establish acceptance and rejection criteria for surface finish
for incoming and outgoing inspections applicable at Customer, approved Supplier or Subcontractor and
ViaSat. The company uses similar inspection criteria as today’s technology and market leader. ViaSat can
meet any surface finish on request; our finishing standard is common industrial finish described in
Surface Categories Section.
Each finishing class stands for special manufacturing and handling processes, which are proportional to
the related costs. Every customer has to decide if a special cosmetic finish is a requirement or “nice to
have”. Manufacturing processes of bare material (e.g. cold rolled steel, pre galvanized steel, extruded
parts) as well from machining processes (e.g. punching, forming, and welding) may leave visible marks at
the finished products, which are not avoidable. Anodized material is more scratch resistant than Alodine
material.
This standard applies to Surface Finishes such as Paint, Chemical Conversion Coating (Alodine,
Anodize), Plating, Molding and silk-screening.
11.2 Inspection Purpose
The inspection purpose is to determine any conditions for which the part or system will be rejected. The
intent of inspection is
 To ship a part or system that meets the finish standard of this specification.
 It is NOT the intent of inspection to find all imperfections on a part or system.
11.3 Terms and Defect Definitions
Accept per approved engineering drawing
 Some cosmetic imperfections are not avoidable in certain process and design
circumstances. Approved engineering documents will point this out.
Abrasion
 Surface imperfection that doesn’t remove or displace material appears as a scuff or
changes to the surface finish.
Bare Metal
 A metal surface that has an intact protective coating but no cosmetic finish.
Base Metal
 A bare metal surface on which the protective coating has been compromised.
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Bleed Out
 A Substance that runs out of seams. Color can vary from brown, dark brown to gray
white at plating.
Bleeding
 Rough and not densely packed dull gray lines at plated material.
Blister
 A bubbling in the surface of the finish. Non-adhesion or lack of proper sticking of the
coating to the surface caused by trapped air, gas or moisture.
Blush
 Discoloration or change in gloss.
Break-out
 Tearing of metal, or other material away from a casted or molded edge as a result of
a cutting/trimming process. This is likely to occur at flash points, or parting lines
due to undersized, or dull die cutting/trimming tools.
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Burns
 Brown marks or streaks on a surface of the part caused by trapped gases burning the
surface of the plastic during molding operation.
Bubble
 A bubbling in the surface of the finish. Non-adhesion or lack of proper sticking of the
coating to the surface caused by trapped air, gas or moisture.
Bump
 Protrusions caused by trapped air / gas or moisture usually seen in finished parts.
Burnish Marks
 Marks or lines that cannot be felt usually caused by tooling dies most common on
flattened cold rolled material e.g. Steel or aluminum sheets
Burrs
 Sharp edges around part features caused by manufacturing process like punching,
shearing, milling or drilling.
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Caution: Sheet metal edges that are compliant to UL 1439 can still cut through protective gloves
and/or human hands.
Chipping
 Areas in which the adhesion between the paint and the surface is poor, causing the paint
to come off with light rubbing.
Cloudiness
 A haziness or lack of clarity in otherwise transparent part.
Contamination
 Rough and not densely packed dull gray lines at plated material. Colored specks of
foreign material embedded in or on the surface part.
Corrosion
 Areas of corrosion on any metal surfaces.
Caution: Small areas of rust are acceptable where plating is removed by a standard
manufacturing or welding process, e.g. sheared (cut) edges.
Cracking
 Crackled appearance due to poor adhesion usually from surface contamination before
plating.
 Hairline cracks of anodized material caused by bending, high temperature curing after
silk screening of the aluminum or tool mark hair cracks on the opposite site of the
aluminum.
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 Fine damages which may extend in a pattern on or beneath the surface or through a layer
of material.
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Crazing
 A fine mesh of minute cracks on the surface of some plastics due mainly to the effects of
UV light.
Delaminating
 Separation, peeling of thin layer of material
Dent
 A surface depression caused by an impact.
Caution: Tooling marks are not dents.
Die marks
 Marks made on the metal’s surface when it is formed, usually consist of long straight
lines.
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Ding
 Roughly funnel shaped dent caused by an impact.
Dirt
 Any particle of foreign material.
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Discoloration
 Any change from the original color or shade in the finish.
Distortion
 A deformation of a diecasted part
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Dust
 Small particles.
Fill In
 An excess of ink that alters the form of a screened feature not affecting legibility.
Fingerprints
 An impression left on the surface due to operator handling.
Finish
 An area of smoother finish of molded plastic parts.
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Flaking

Areas in which the adhesion between the paint and the surface is poor, causing the paint to come off with
light rubbing.
Flash
 Thin, excess material usually around the area of the mold parting line or internal shutoff
areas.
Flow Marks
 Waviness of edge or excess linear surface texture of silk-screened areas.
Fracture
 Material splitting usually on the outside bend radius.
Gates
 Point at which plastic is injected in cavity, usually on parting line.
Gloss
 A uniform appearance of a painted or molded area. E.g. Shiny, matt
Glossiness
 An area of either excessive or deficient gloss.
Gouge
 A groove or scratch that extends through the finish and into the metal caused by a sharp
object. A depth is measurable.
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Grease
 Any lubricant transferred to the part’s surface, shiny or glossy patches on the surface of
the part.
Haze
 Cloudiness on an otherwise transparent part.
Inconsistency
 Variation of gloss, thickness of line or surface texture.
Inclusions
 Small craters on surface caused by dust or dirt.
Lint
 Any unintended foreign substance in the coating or on the surface.
Marbling
 Colored streaks on a surface caused by improper mixing of molten plastic.
Marks
 Pits, sanding, or other marks on base material that remains visible after coating.
Matt Finish
 A less glossy finish of a surface area.
Metal Fuzz
 Fine grit metal shavings that are clumped together may also be magnetic.
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Nicks
 Like gouges but short of length caused by impact.
Non-adhesion
 Lack of proper sticking of the coating or a glued material to the surface.
Non-uniform Coverage
 Areas that have an insufficient or excessive coating.
Oils
 Oily material on the surface due to materials used in manufacturing processes. Oily
looking spots caused by Loctite locking feature.
Orange Peel
 Paint defect, rippled or mottled appearance viewable as concentric lines caused by under
pressurizing not dried paint surfaces.
Orange Skin
 Paint defect, rippled or mottled appearance.
Oxidation
 Has a rough feel of appearance. Dull gray, dark gray, black, brown, dark cinnamon or
possibly white colored substance.
Peeling
 Areas in which the adhesion between the paint and the surface is poor, causing the paint
to come off with light rubbing.
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Pitting
 Small craters on surface.
Punch mark
 Mark on the surface of a material due to punch process.
Runs
 Drips, bleeding, visible lines or raised areas of excessive paint or chemical coating
similar to non-uniform coverage.
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Rust

Areas of corrosion on any metal surfaces
.
Caution: Small areas of rust are acceptable where plating is removed by a standard manufacturing
or welding process, e.g. sheared (cut) edges.
Scratch
 A shallow groove that can be seen but not felt.
Scuff marks
 A series of very light, concentrated scratches that can be seen but not felt.
Short-Shot
 Incomplete molded feature.
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Sink
 Depression or dimple caused by non-uniform material shrinkage.
Slug Mark
 A surface deformity caused by the punching process.

Smearing
 The presence of ink on areas not called out in the master artwork.
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Smudge
 Any dirt particle of foreign material.
Specks
 Small particles.
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Spot Weld Mark
 Dish shaped surface caused by spot welding process.
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Tooling Marks
 Very shallow lines which are parallel to bends in part.
 Unwanted impact of a tool during punch process.
Caution: Some tooling marks are not avoidable in some process steps. E.g. punching, forming, and
bending.
Texture
 An area of rougher finish of plastic molded parts.
 A rougher but uniform finish of painted parts.
Visible Surface
 Surfaces those are visible when the enclosure or part is installed in a completed assembly.
Void
 The failure of ink to define a graphic feature.
Warpage
 Dimensional distortion in a part after molding, pressing or laminating. Twist or bows in
the part.
Water Spots
 Rough and not densely packed dull gray lines at plated material.
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Weld lines
 Line where molten plastic or metal joins form a part. A weld line usually appears as a
noticeable line or gloss variation across the surface of the part.
11.4 Preferred Appearance Quality
PAINT
 Preferred
o Painted surfaces should be defect free and the texture and color should be uniform
throughout the entire surface.
o The finish on a continuous surface shall exhibit no gross imperfections such as
gouges, large chips, runs, blisters, oil spots, flaking, or any defects that will affect the
functional properties of the finish.
o Paint touch-up is acceptable.
o A touch-up is not acceptable if visible at the viewing distance for that class of surface.
SILK-SCREENING
 Preferred
o Silk-screened logos or symbols should be defect free, and should withstand cleaning
with mild solvents and the tape pull test.
PLATING
 Preferred
o Visible outside surfaces should be defect free, and die and slug marks should not be
visible.
CHEMICAL CONVERSION COATING (Alodine)
 Preferred
o The finish shall have uniform appearance; be semi-bright, smooth, and clear to
slightly yellow or iridescent in color. Visual appearance will vary between different
alloys and between machined, milled, cast, and grained surfaces.
o Outside surface shall be free from scratches, dents, or gouges.
INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS
 Viewing Conditions
o The inspector shall scan the surface in a continuous manner. All judgments shall be
made from the specified lighting, viewing distance, angle and material classes as
described below.
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11.5 Surface Categories
 Class A
o Is a critical cosmetic surface usually front exterior surface which is most often
closely viewed by the user / customer.
o Panels
o Instrument cases
o Desktop cases
o Customer specified
 Class B
o Is a semi-critical cosmetic surface usually exterior surface which is adjacent to Class
A, not viewed as often but easily seen.
 Class C
o Is a non-critical cosmetic surface either exterior surface rarely viewed by the user /
customer, such as back surface; or an internal surface that is visible but not normally
viewed by the user/customer.
11.6 Light Source
 Light Specification
o White, cool artificial office lighting (e.g. fluorescent light)
o Do not use direct sunlight.
 Light Intensity
o Uniform intensity between 70 and 120 foot-candles. (750 and 1250 Lux)
Caution: At levels of greater light intensity caution should be used to not over inspect the
parts in order of accentuate surface flaws.
 Light position
o Reflection free, non-directional from the top.
Caution: No direct overhead light above inspection table.
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11.7 Inspection Table Surface
 The table surface should be made of a non-reflective dark color to avoid twilight
conditions.
 Preferred: Black rubber mat Acceptable: Dark blue or dark green rubber mat
 Unacceptable: Light color table surfaces e.g. white, gray, yellow, metallic etc.
Caution: Reflective light-colored surfaces eliminate or accentuate surface flaws.
11.8 Viewing Time
 Class A
o Systems: Ten (10) seconds per 200 square inches per part
o Front Panels: Five (5) seconds per 50 square inches per part
 Class B
o Seven (7) seconds per 200 square inches per part
 Class C
o Five (5) seconds per 200 square inches per part
11.9 Viewing Orientation
 During inspection, view objects in an orientation perpendicular to each surface. During
assembly, view objects in normal orientation of manufacturing process. In some cases
inspection should be held prior to assembly. Any visible surface flaw has to be verified
against the acceptable defect matrix.
Caution: Parts shall not be manipulated to reflect a single light source in order to accentuate
surface flaws.
11.10 Magnification Tools
Magnification tools may be used to find root causes for defects or to verify correctness of special areas.
Caution: Magnification is not to be used when inspecting for cosmetic defects.
11.11 Viewing Distance
Viewing Distances from the surface being inspected
 Class A
o 24 Inch (610 mm)
 Class B
o 30 Inch (760 mm)
 Class C
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o 36 Inch (760 mm)
11.12 Acceptable Defects Matrix
Acceptable Defects for Class “A” Surfaces
Viewing Time
Viewing Distance
Ten (10) seconds per 200 square inches per part,
five (5) seconds per 50 square inches for front
panels
DEFECT
24 inch (610 mm)
ACCEPT
REJECT
Bleed Out
Up to 5/16” away from seam.
Touch up allowed.
Any greater than 5/16”
Blister
None
Any
Blush
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Bubble
None
Burns
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Burrs
Reference Table 1.
Reference Table 1.
Cloudiness
None
Any
Contamination
None
Any
Corrosion/Rust/Oxidation
None
Any
Cracks
None
Any
Dent/Ding/Pitting
None
Any
Discoloration Color Consistency
Accept per approved engineering
document for 100% uniformity
of surface
Partial discoloration
Dirt/Lint/Specks/Smudge
Less than or equal to 0.02”
Any greater than 0.02”
Flash
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Flow Marks
None
Any
Fingerprints
None
Any
Flaking/Chipping/Peeling
None
Any
Metal Fuzz
None
Any
Paint Non-Adhesion/NonUniformity/Inconsistency
None
Any
Paint Runs
None
Any
Any
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ACCEPT
REJECT
Scratches/Gouges
Qty. 3, less than or equal to 0.01”
x 0.03”
More than qty. 3. Any bare
metal or base metal on a painted
surface.
Scuff Marks
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Short-Shots
None
Any
Sink
Less than or equal to 0.003” deep
Any greater than 0.003”
Smearing
None
Any
Spot Weld, Welding Lines
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Texture/Gloss/Finish
100% uniformity of surface,
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Tooling Marks/Die Marks/Slug
Mark/Punch Mark/Burnish
Marks
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Voids
Less than or equal to 0.01”
Any greater than 0.01”
Water Spots
None
Any
Partial variation.
Acceptable Defects for Class “B” Surfaces
Viewing Time
Viewing Distance
Seven (7) seconds per 200 square inches per part.
DEFECT
30 inch (760 mm)
ACCEPT
REJECT
Bleed Out
Up to 3/8” away from seam.
Touch up allowed.
Any greater than 3/8”
Blister
None
Any
Blush
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Bubble
None
Burns
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Burrs
Reference Table 1.
Reference Table 1.
Cloudiness
None
Any
Contamination
None
Any
Corrosion/Rust/Oxidation
None
Any
Cracks
None
Any
Any
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REJECT
Dent/Ding/Pitting
None
Any
Discoloration Color Consistency
90% uniformity of surface
More than 10% surface
discoloration or consistency.
Dirt/Lint/Specks/Smudge
Qty. 3, Less than or equal to
0.03”
More than qty. 3 per surface or
any greater than 0.03”
Flash
Less than or equal to 0.005” in
height
Any greater than 0.005” in height
Flow Marks
None
Any
Fingerprints
None
Any
Flaking/Chipping/Peeling
Less than or equal to 0.03”
Any bare metal greater than
0.03” or any exposed base metal
Metal Fuzz
None
Any
Paint Non-Adhesion/NonUniformity/Inconsistency
None
Any
Paint Runs
None
Any
Scratches/Gouges
Qty. 2, less than or equal to 0.02”
x 0.09”; Qty. 1; Less than or
equal to 0.01” x 0.25”
More than limit qty. per surface.
Any exposed base metal on
painted surfaces.
Scuff Marks
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Short-Shots
None
Any
Sink
Less than or equal to 0.005” deep
Any greater than 0.005”
Smearing
None
Any
Spot Weld, Welding Lines
Less than or equal to 0.005” in
height or depth
Any greater than 0.005” in height
or depth
Texture/Gloss/Finish
Less than or equal to 0.02” x
0.25”
Any greater than 0.02” x 0.25”
Tooling Marks/Die Marks/Slug
Mark/Punch Mark/Burnish
Marks
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Voids
Less than or equal to 0.03”
Any greater than 0.03”
Water Spots
None
Any
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Acceptable Defects for Class “C” Surfaces
Viewing Time
Viewing Distance
Five (5) seconds per 200 square inches per part.
DEFECT
36 inch (460 mm)
ACCEPT
REJECT
Bleed Out
Up to 3/8” away from seam.
Touch up allowed.
Any greater than 3/8”
Blister
None
Any
Blush
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Bubble
None
Burns
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Burrs
Reference Table 1.
Reference Table 1.
Cloudiness
None
Any
Contamination
None
Any
Corrosion/Rust/Oxidation
None
Any
Cracks
None
Any
Dent/Ding/Pitting
None
Any
Discoloration Color Consistency
80% uniformity of surface
More than 20% surface
discoloration or consistency.
Dirt/Lint/Specks/Smudge
Qty. 3, Less than or equal to
0.06”
More than qty. 3 per surface or
any greater than 0.06”
Flash
Less than or equal to 0.005” in
height
Any greater than 0.005” in height
Flow Marks
None
Any
Fingerprints
None
Any
Flaking/Chipping/Peeling
Less than or equal to 0.09”
Any bare metal greater than
0.09” or any exposed base metal
Metal Fuzz
None
Any
Paint Non-Adhesion/NonUniformity/Inconsistency
None
Any
Paint Runs
None
Any
Scratches/Gouges
Qty. 4, less than or equal to 0.02”
x 0.25”; Qty. 1; Less than or
equal to 0.01” x 0. 5”
More than limit qty. per surface.
Any exposed base metal on
painted surfaces.
Scuff Marks
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Any
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REJECT
Short-Shots
None
Any
Sink
Qty. 1, Less than or equal to
0.015” deep
Any greater than 0.015”
Smearing
None
Any
Spot Weld, Welding Lines
Less than or equal to 0.005” in
height or depth
Any greater than 0.005” in height
or depth
Texture/Gloss/Finish
Less than or equal to 0.02” x
0.09”
Any greater than 0.02” x 0.09”
Tooling Marks/Die Marks/Slug
Mark/Punch Mark/Burnish
Marks
Accept per approved engineering
document.
Voids
Less than or equal to 0.03”
Any greater than 0.03”
Water Spots
None
Any
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12 References
Documents
 IPC-A-600 – Workmanship Standards for printed circuit boards
 IPC-A-610 – Workmanship Standards for electronic sub-assemblies
 IPC/WHMA-A-620 – Requirements and Acceptance for Cable and Wire Harness
Assemblies
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