Component Storage, Certification, and Maintaining Traceability

Component Storage, Certification, and Maintaining Traceability

Semiconductors^[1] [2] are designed for precision, but their long-term reliability is heavily influenced by how they are stored and handled. In industries such as aerospace, automotive, and industrial automation, where components may be expected to perform reliably for decades, proper storage is necessary to prevent degradation that could compromise functionality. Failures caused by solderability issues, moisture ingress, or oxidation could have catastrophic consequences, and robust storage and traceability frameworks are our first line of defense.

Despite advancements in semiconductor manufacturing, environmental factors remain a threat. Moisture, temperature fluctuations, and chemical contamination can weaken encapsulation materials, cause oxidation on lead finishes, and create internal stress fractures within packages. Without adherence to strict storage protocols, even the highest-quality components may fail prematurely. To prevent these risks, manufacturers and authorized distributors must rely on advanced storage technologies, stringent environmental controls, and industry-certified traceability systems.

The Science of Semiconductor Storage

Semiconductor components are highly susceptible to environmental degradation if not stored properly. Factors such as moisture ingress, oxidation, electrostatic discharge (ESD), and mechanical stress can compromise electrical performance. To prevent these issues, industry standards dictate controlled storage conditions, specialized packaging solutions, and continuous environmental monitoring to preserve component integrity.

Climate-Controlled Storage 

Moisture exposure is the most significant contributor to long-term component degradation, particularly for plastic-encapsulated microcircuits (PEMs). When moisture diffuses into semiconductor packages, it can cause delamination, internal cracking, and failure during solder reflow.  According to JEDEC J-STD-033, storage facilities must maintain relative humidity (RH) below 10% and temperatures between 5°C and 25°C to prevent moisture-related failures ^[4][3].

Advanced Packaging Technologies 

While controlled environments provide baseline protection, packaging solutions serve as an additional barrier against oxidation and moisture ingress. Moisture barrier bags (MBBs), combined with desiccants and humidity indicator cards (HICs), create a multi-layered defense to extend the usable life of sensitive components [5].

• Moisture Barrier Bags: Constructed from aluminum foil and polyethylene laminates, MBBs minimize water vapor transmission rates (WVTR) and shield components from humidity.
• Desiccants: Silica gel packets within the packaging absorb residual moisture to prevent atmospheric exposure.
• Humidity Indicator Cards: HICs provide a visual confirmation of moisture levels inside packaging to enable proactive replacement if RH exceeds safe limits.

As an authorized distributor, Rochester Electronics fully complies with JEDEC J-STD-033 to preserve components in their original, manufacturer-sealed packaging whenever available. If a component requires repackaging, for example, Rochester follows J-STD-033 guidelines for dry packing with low-permeability MBBs, verified desiccant levels, and HICs to protect components from moisture-related degradation and meet reliability expectations for long-term storage and deployment.

Industry Standards That Define Long-Term Component Storage

Best practices for semiconductor storage are standardized through widely adopted frameworks such as JEDEC J-STD-020 and J-STD-033, which outline classification, storage, and reconditioning procedures for moisture-sensitive devices. These standards provide the technical foundation that manufacturers and authorized distributors follow to ensure that aging components remain fully functional.

J-STD-020 establishes moisture sensitivity levels (MSLs) that define how long a component can be exposed to ambient conditions before requiring reconditioning. Components classified as MSL-3, for example, must be soldered within 168 hours of exposure to standard room conditions, while MSL-6 components require a bake-out process before use, regardless of exposure duration ^[9].

J-STD-033 complements these classifications by defining storage and handling requirements that ensure moisture-sensitive devices are maintained under optimal conditions. The standard mandates the use of moisture barrier bags, desiccants, and humidity indicator cards while also specifying procedures for bake-out reconditioning when necessary. Proper implementation of J-STD-033 prevents failures associated with moisture absorption and ensures that components remain within their defined reliability parameters, even after extended storage periods ^[10].

The effectiveness of these standards depends on diligent enforcement, which is why authorized distributors such as Rochester Electronics adhere strictly to JEDEC storage guidelines. By guaranteeing that all stored inventory complies with J-STD-033, Rochester confirms that moisture-sensitive components are protected from degradation and are ready for deployment whenever needed.

Certifications for Component Traceability

In addition to proper storage, semiconductor reliability depends on robust traceability frameworks that confirm a component’s authenticity, origin, and compliance with industry standards. Certifications such as Certificates of Conformance (C of Cs) document a component’s manufacturing history, storage conditions, and chain of custody. These records provide end users with full transparency and allow them to verify that components were sourced from authorized manufacturers and have not been exposed to uncontrolled environments.

However, older components often lack formal traceability documentation, creating challenges for industries requiring long-term reliability. Without a documented history, verifying the quality and authenticity of legacy components becomes more difficult, and there is a subsequent risk of sourcing counterfeit or degraded parts. In such cases, unauthorized distributors and brokers often turn to secondary testing, such as solderability evaluation, X-ray analysis, and electrical performance verification, to assess component integrity.

Although these tests can provide insights into a component’s physical and electrical condition, they are not foolproof. Solderability testing, for instance, can confirm whether a component’s lead finish remains functional, but it does not provide definitive proof of whether the component has been exposed to improper storage conditions. X-ray inspection can reveal internal defects but cannot verify whether a component has undergone prior use or modification. Because of these limitations, reliance on unauthorized sources introduces risk as even well-preserved brokered components may lack the necessary traceability to confirm full compliance with original specifications.

Meanwhile, industry standards distinguish between different levels of traceability. AS6081 applies to independent distributors and outlines general screening procedures, but it does not match the verification rigor of AS6496, which is designed for authorized-only distribution. AS6171 introduces a testing framework for evaluating broker-sourced components, but like AS6081, it does not guarantee full traceability to the original manufacturer. AS6496 remains the gold standard for ensuring that semiconductor components are new, unused, and fully authorized.

Rochester Commitment to Secure, Long-Term Storage

Rochester Electronics eliminates the risks associated with broker-sourced components by maintaining a fully authorized, traceable inventory. As an AS6496-compliant distributor, Rochester ensures that all semiconductor components remain within an authorized supply chain from the point of manufacture to end use. This meticulous practice guarantees that every component is sourced directly from an original manufacturer and has never been exposed to unauthorized resale channels.

Rochester Electronics fully complies with JEDEC J-STD-033 to preserve components in their original, manufacturer-sealed packaging whenever available. If a component requires repackaging, for example, Rochester follows J-STD-033 guidelines for dry packing with low-permeability MBBs, verified desiccant levels, and HICs to protect components from moisture-related degradation and meet reliability expectations for long-term storage and deployment.

Finally, by maintaining comprehensive chain-of-custody records, Rochester provides customers with verifiable proof that each component has been stored in accordance with JEDEC and AS6496 guidelines. Whereas independent brokers may mix authorized and non-authorized inventory, Rochester guarantees that every component remains in an unbroken, traceable supply chain. That way, customers have confidence that their components meet all necessary quality and reliability standards.

Strengthening the Semiconductor Supply Chain

Long-term component reliability is not solely a function of manufacturing quality but is also determined by storage conditions, certification frameworks, and supply chain transparency. With industry standards such as J-STD-033 and AS6496 providing clear guidelines for semiconductor preservation, manufacturers and authorized distributors have the tools to see that components remain functional for years if not decades.

As one of the leading authorized distributors in the industry, Rochester Electronics upholds the highest standards in component storage and traceability. With advanced storage technologies, rigorous environmental controls, and full compliance with AS6496, Rochester provides customers with reliable, long-term semiconductor solutions.

In the next article in this series, we will examine the numerous ways^[1] that adherence to arbitrary date codes has negatively impacted the industry. 

References

1. https://www.rocelec.com/news/are-you-overthinking-date-codes?srsltid=AfmBOorm1ckJ-kt8WJClpx6id-9vp4e1kvdMKMbowmcWRWULA6qxoMZX
2. https://www.semiconductorpackagingnews.com/uploads/1/Effects_of_Long-Term_Storage_on_Mechanical_and_Electrical_Integrity_SPN.pdf
3. https://rocelec.widen.net/s/9m5dnnnmh6/compatibility-of-traditional-solderability-testing-for-aged-semiconductor-components-white-paper
4. https://www.aeri.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Texas-Instruments-Technical-White-Paper-Long-Term-Storage-Evaluation-of-Semiconductor-Devices.pdf
5. https://www.ti.com/lit/wp/slva304/slva304.pdf?ts=1737699355450
6. https://www.congress.gov/112/chrg/CHRG-112shrg72702/CHRG-112shrg72702.pdf#:~:text=Overall%2C%20as%20the%20chairman%20noted%2C%20we%20estimate,mitted%20to%20doing%20everything%20within%20our%20power
7. https://rocelec.widen.net/s/pxdp2p9tdd/futureproofingaerospacewhitepaper_eng
8. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/14/3945
9. https://www.jedec.org/standards-documents/docs/j-std-020e 
10. https://shop.ipc.org/ipcjedec-j-std-033/ipcjedec-j-std-033-standard-only/Revision-d/english