EMIT - Questions And Answers

What is the best way to package and handle components with Class 0 sensitivity? What type of materials should the packaging consist of? Is "tape and reel" type packaging risky? What specifications should the packaging comply with? - SuMei, Research In Motion, Waterloo, Canada

The best way to package and handle components with Class 0 sensitivity is to apply all necessary control methods in order to keep the potential difference between conductors below (100 V MM, 250 V HBM, 125 V CDM). This usually means your ESD Control Program is more stringent and ionization is usually included at key areas. If humans are handling the components, I suggest they wear grounded wrist straps, static dissipative gloves and fully closed and grounded smocks. That the work surfaces are static dissipative and grounded and all charge generators are either removed or controlled with ionization. Testing of all these parts is crucial too. Transportation of these parts should happen in either a completely isolated and antistatic container or a shielded and fully enclosed conductive container (Faraday cage) and these should only be opened at a secure ESDS Class 1 area. You should measure the fields (if any are generated) during the Tape and Reel operation. If any significant fields are generated, then ionization should be applied at these areas. The Tape and Reels should also be protected during transportation as mentioned above.There are several standards on ESD packaging. The ESDA has one on bags, ESD S11.21-1994, ESD DS20.20-1998 section 6.2.4, EIA’s ANSI/EIA-625 section 8, and a more detailed document just for “Packaging Material Standards for ESD Sensitive Items” is ANSI/EIA-541.

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