IPC-1601A: Printed Board Handling and Storage Guidelines ...

1 IPC-1601 APrinted Board Handlingand Storage GuidelinesDeveloped by the Printed Board Storage and Handling Subcommittee(D-35) of the Rigid Printed Board Committee (D-30) of IPCU sers of this publication are encouraged to participate in thedevelopment of future :IPCS upersedes:IPC-1601 - August 2010 Table of Contents1 .. and Definitions .. Indicator Card (HIC) .. Barrier Bag (MBB) .. Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) .. Free .. Packaging .. Level Changes .. 12 APPLICABLE .. Industry Standards .. Discharge Association (ESD) .. International .. Organization for Standardization .. 33 Printed Board FABRICATION ANDPACKAGING ( Handling ).. Board Materials .. Materials, Prepreg and ResinCoated Foils.

2 Clad Laminates .. Layer Production .. Equipment .. Concerns for Etched Cores andSubcomposites .. of the Laminated Panels/ Printed Boards .. Validation and Control .. and Transport of Product .. Moisture LevelsPrior to Packaging .. for Moisture Removal .. Caused By Baking .. Environment .. Considerations .. Baking Profiles .. 74 PACKAGING, Storage , AND Evaluation .. Absorption .. Attributes .. on Final Finish Solderability .. and Packaging Environment .. Concerns .. Materials .. Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) .. Packaging Material Types .. Material .. Indicator Card (HIC) .. Witness Coupons .. Methods .. (Dry Packaging) .. Packaging .. RoHS compliance.

3 Markings .. 135 Printed Board RECEIVING, STORAGEAND Opening .. Location (Stock Room) .. Opening A Moisture Barrier Bag .. Environment (Temperature,Humidity, and Atmosphere) .. Containers (Shop Floor) .. Operations .. Acceptable MoistureContent (MAMC) .. Moisture Content .. 15 APPENDIX A Example Flowdown ofPackaging/HandlingRequirements to aPrinted Board 16 APPENDIX B Desiccant Required As aFunction of Moisture BarrierBag (MBB) 19 June 2016 IPC-1601 AvFiguresFigure 3-1 Examples of Clips used for ResealingOpened Bags .. 3 Figure 4-1 Humidity Indicator Card (HIC) Example .. 11 Figure 4-2 ANSI/ESD Protective Symbol .. 13 Figure 4-3 Moisture Sensitivity Caution Symbol .. 13 Figure A-1 Usage of Heat Sealed Polyethylene Bag inConjunction with MBB.

4 18 TablesTable 3-1 Recommendations for Printed Board BakingProfiles .. 8 Table B-1 Desiccant Bag Quantities Based onMBB Size .. 19 IPC-1601 AJune 2016viPrinted Board Handling and Storage Guidelines1 BackgroundHistorically, the Printed Board industry has relied on military specifications and Guidelines to definepackaging methods to preserve the quality and reliability of Printed boards during shipment and Storage . However, many ofthese documents are obsolete, incomplete, do not address Pb-free assembly processes, or do not cover newer laminates orfinal ScopeThis document provides suggestions for proper Handling , packaging materials and methods, environmentalconditions, and Storage for Printed boards.

5 These Guidelines are intended to protect Printed boards from contamination,physical damage, solderability degradation, electrostatic discharge (ESD) (when necessary), and moisture uptake. Moistureabsorbed in Printed Board laminates expands at soldering temperatures, and in some cases, the resulting vapor pressure cancause internal delamination or excessive strain on plated-hole walls and other structures. This is especially challenging withthe higher temperatures used for Pb-free document covers all phases from the manufacture of the bare Printed Board , through delivery, receiving, stocking, assembly , and soldering. As a guideline, this information is to be used with, and is secondary to, established requirementsin such documents as the IPC-4550 series for final ApplicationThe target audience includes those involved in all phases of Printed Board design, manufacture, assembly ,shipping, Storage , and possible warranty activities.

6 Information herein has been supplied for all of these Terms and DefinitionsThe definition of all terms used herein are as specified in IPC-T-50 and as defined in Humidity Indicator Card (HIC)An indicator of relative humidity in the form of a card with Printed deposits ofmoisture-sensitive chemicals, usually as round dots arranged in sequence, each changing color at a higher relative humid-ity. Color will change (depending on the chemicals, either from blue to pink or from brown to azure) when humidity exceedsthe value Printed on the dot. When humidity decreases, color will change back (to blue or brown). Moisture Barrier Bag (MBB)A bag designed to restrict the transmission of water vapor and used to pack moisturesensitive devices.

7 An MBB is made of material with a low Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) (see ). An MBBincludes a metallized layer (aluminum), making the bag appear shiny and SubcompositeIn sequential lamination, a structure composed of more than two layers that have been laminatedtogether, and which will subsequently be laminated with other layers into a complete Printed Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR)A measure of the permeability of plastic film or metallized plastic filmmaterial to moisture, an important rating for moisture barrier bags (MBBs). Sulfur FreeMaterials that are unlikely to express corrosive sulfur compounds like Dry PackagingPackaging that consists of desiccant material and a Humidity Indicator Card (HIC) sealed with theprinted boards inside a Moisture Barrier Bag (MBB) (See ).

8 Revision Level ChangesChanges incorporated into the current revision of this standard are indicated throughout bygray shading of the relevant subsection(s). Changes to a figure or table are indicated by gray shading of the figure or tableheader and applicable 2016 IPC-1601A1