Old date code devices

One of the side effects of the current component shortage crisis is that companies that are having difficulty sourcing their required devices, within their required date code parameters, are having to buy older date codes of these components as this is all they are finding available. This is then causing solderability issues due to oxidisation.   

These older date code parts will have their floor life clock ticking the moment they are first opened from their moisture sensitive and vacuum sealed packaging. This time scale is set out in IPC/JEDEC J-Std 033C. See below for a table indicating the parameters of floor life:

And although baking components when the floor life has been exceeded can help with moisture ingress into the body of the packages, by baking components multiple times you are increasing the risk of oxidisation of the leads/pads/balls. And by multiple baking processes there is also risks of the carrier material outgassing and exasperating the risk of oxidisation that leads to solderability issues.

The traceability of older date codes parts is always difficult, parts that are 3+ years old will be very difficult to be trace though from the first opening of the packaging and therefore the safest route to take is to have solderability testing done to identify any oxidisation on the leads. 

This is a service Retronix can offer in line with JEDEC standards, we measure using 5 parameters as shown below:

Even with failing solderability results, Retronix can then offer to re-tin samples of the device and run the solderability tests again to monitor the improvements, then the re-tinning process can be repeated for the balance of devices if this is found to be a solution to the oxidisation issues.

We do also offer solder simulation testing for BGAs as these are not suitable for solderability testing, so this will give you an assurance on BGAs that the solderability will not be an issue when you come to placing and reflowing the devices. And again, if issues are discovered, Retronix can reball a sample and run the solder simulation test again to compare results.  

*Please note - Solderability testing can be a destructive test dependant on the structure of the device*

If you would like more information on this service, see below link or contact us via the emails listed:

https://www.retronix.com/services/ic_testing/solderability_test/

[email protected]

[email protected]