Strain gage testing of board assemblies allows for objective analysis of the strain and strain rate levels that a surface mount package is subjected to during assembly, test and operation. Characterization of worst-case board assembly strain is critical due to the susceptibility of component solder joints to strain induced failures. IPC-9704 document describes specific guidelines for strain gage testing in the manufacturing process, including board assembly, test, system integration and board shipping, and provides coverage of test setup and equipment requirements, strain measurement techniques and test report formats. Contains 20 full-color photographs and illustrations depicting instrumented boards and gage placement. 22 pages. Released June 2005.