(a) Divide each 1 meter square portion where it is necessary to collect a surface wipe test sample into two equal (or as nearly equal as possible) halves. For example, divide the area into top and bottom halves or left and right halves. Choose the top/bottom or left/right division that produces halves having as close to the shape of a circle as possible. For example, a square is closer to the shape of a circle than is a rectangle and a rectangle having a length to width ratio of 2:1 is closer to the shape of a circle than a rectangle having a length to width ratio of 3:1.

(b) Assign a unique identifier to each half and then select one of the halves for further sampling with a random number generator or other device (i.e., by flipping a coin).

(c) Continue selecting progressively smaller halves by dividing the previously selected half, in accordance with paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, until the final selected half is larger than or equal to 100 cm 2 and smaller than 200 cm 2.

(d) Perform a standard PCB wipe test on the final selected halves from each 1 meter square portion.

(e) The following is an example of applying sampling by halves. Assume that the area to sample is a 1 meter square surface area (a square that has sides 1 meter long). Assign each half to one face of a coin. After flipping the coin, the half assigned to the face of the coin that is showing is the half selected.

(1) Selecting the first half:

(i) For a square shape the top/bottom halves have the same shape as the left/right halves when compared to a circle, i.e., regardless of which way the surface is divided, each half is 1 half meter wide by 1 meter long. Therefore, divide the area either top/bottom or left/right. For selecting the first half, this example will select from left/right halves.

(ii) A coin flip selects the left half. The dimensions of this selected surface area are 1 meter high and 1/2 meter wide.

(2) Selecting the second half:

(i) If the next selection of halves was left/right, the halves would be rectangles four times as long as they are wide ( 1/4 meter wide and 1 meter high). Halves selected from top/bottom would be square ( 1/2 meter on a side). Therefore, select the next halves top/bottom, because the shape of the top/bottom halves (square) is closer to the shape of a circle than the shape of the left/right halves (long narrow rectangles).

(ii) A coin flip selects the top half. The dimensions of this selected surface area are 1/2 meter high and 1/2 meter wide.

(3) Selecting the third half:

(i) Just as for the selection of the first half, which divided the original square area, both the left/right and the top/bottom halves have the same shape when compared to a circle (both are rectangles having the same dimensions). Therefore, choose either left/right or top/bottom halves. This example will select from left/right halves.

(ii) A coin flip selects the right half. The dimensions of this selected surface are 1/4 meter by 1/2 meter.

(4) Selecting the fourth half:

(i) If the next selection of halves was left/right, the halves would be rectangles four times as long as they are wide ( 1/8 meter wide and 1/2 meter high. Halves selected from top/bottom would be square ( 1/4 meter on a side). Therefore, select the next halves top/bottom, because the shape of the top/bottom halves (square) are closer to the shape of a circle than the shape of the left/right halves (long narrow rectangles).

(ii) A coin flip selects the bottom half. The dimensions of this selected surface area are 1/4 meter high and 1/4 meter wide.

(5) Selecting the fifth half:

(i) Just as for the selection of the first and third halves, both the left/right and the top/bottom halves have the same shape when compared to a circle (both are rectangles having the same dimensions). Therefore, choose either left/right or top/bottom halves. This example will select from left/right halves.

(ii) A coin flip selects the right half. The dimensions of the selected surface are 1/8 meter by 1/4 meter.

(6) Selecting the sixth half:

(i) If the next selection of halves was left/right, the halves would be rectangles four times as long as they are wide ( 1/16 meter wide and 1/4 meter high. Halves selected from top/bottom would be square ( 1/8 meter on a side). Therefore, select the next halves top/bottom, because the shape of the top/bottom halves (square) are closer to the shape of a circle than the shape of the left/right halves (long narrow rectangles).

(ii) A coin flip selects the top half. The dimensions of this selected surface are 1/8 meter high and 1/8 meter wide or 12.5 cm by 12.5 cm.

(7) Collect a standard wipe test sample in the sixth half. Since the dimensions of half of the sixth half would be 12.5 cm by 6.25 cm, the area (approximately 78 cm 2) would be less than the required 100 cm 2 minimum area for the standard wipe test. Therefore, no further sampling by halves is necessary. Take the standard wipe test samples of the entire selected sixth half.