Storing aerospace products the correct way

Article By : STMicroelectronics

ST aerospace dice are packed in waffle packs inside a clean room (Class 100, ISO 5). Each bulk includes a maximum of 4 waffle packs for shipment.

Most STMicroelectronics aerospace products can be provided in die form with various quality levels. STMicroelectronics' aerospace packing procedure for products in die form is compliant with the standard packing and shipment rules.

ST aerospace dice are packed in waffle packs inside a clean room (Class 100, ISO 5). Each bulk includes a maximum of 4 waffle packs for shipment. The waffle packs are placed in antistatic bags and vacuum sealed. Any repacking should follow precisely the same procedure.

It is recommended to store these products in a similar clean room environment. Thus, the following key storage precautions must be observed:

• The die must be maintained in a filtered nitrogen atmosphere until removed for assembly.
• The moisture content of the storage facility must be maintained at 30% ± 10% relative humidity.
• Electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage precautions are necessary during handling.

The die must be in an ESD-protected environment at all times for inspection and assembly. Dice contained in waffle trays can remain in storage for up to one year under these conditions. If a visual inspection is required, it is recommended to repack the dice immediately afterward, following the recommendations above, or to bond them immediately.

Trays use for packing must not be damaged (i.e. cracked, broken or chipped). A change of the waffle pack is considered a minor change, which ST will only notify the customer about. ST standard rules on product change notifications (PCNs) apply only to changes affecting the die itself.

Read more: Download the full application note