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EMS handbook

2. Preservation of product: handling & storage

A perfectly manufactured component can be easily degraded by improper storage or careless handling before it even reaches the assembly line. Moisture ingress, mechanical shock, and temperature fluctuations can silently compromise material integrity, leading to defects that only appear much later in the process.

This chapter outlines the environmental controls needed for proper product preservation. We will review the practical engineering standards for managing Moisture Sensitivity Levels (MSL), utilizing dry cabinets, and the careful handling protocols required for bare PCBs and sensitive displays.

  • 2.1 ESD control program: ANSI/ESD s20.20

    Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is often considered the invisible hazard of modern electronics. Unlike a visible short circuit or a broken copper trace, ESD damage frequently manifests as a latent defec...

  • 2.2 MSD handling & storage: j-STD-033

    Moisture Sensitivity Devices (MSD) generally do not fail due to external corrosion; instead, they fail because of internal vapor pressure. During the rapid thermal ramp of reflow soldering—where tempe...

  • 2.3 Shelf life & expiry control: chemical integrity

    High-reliability electronics manufacturing relies on applied chemistry just as much as it relies on physics. Solder paste, Anisotropic Conductive Film (ACF), conformal coatings, and potting compounds...