IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033

APRIL 1999

JOINT
INDUSTRY
STANDARD

Standard for Handling,

Packing, Shipping and
Use of Moisture/Reflow
Sensitive Surface
Mount Devices
Notice EIA/JEDEC and IPC Standards and Publications are designed to serve the
public interest through eliminating misunderstandings between manufacturers
and purchasers, facilitating interchangeability and improvement of products,
and assisting the purchaser in selecting and obtaining with minimum delay
the proper product for his particular need. Existence of such Standards and
Publications shall not in any respect preclude any member or nonmember of
EIA/JEDEC or IPC from manufacturing or selling products not conforming
to such Standards and Publications, nor shall the existence of such Standards
and Publications preclude their voluntary use by those other than EIA/JEDEC
and IPC members, whether the standard is to be used either domestically or
internationally.
Recommended Standards and Publications are adopted by EIA/JEDEC and
IPC without regard to whether their adoption may involve patents on articles,
materials, or processes. By such action, EIA/JEDEC and IPC do not assume
any liability to any patent owner, nor do they assume any obligation whatever
to parties adopting the Recommended Standard or Publication. Users are also
wholly responsible for protecting themselves against all claims of liabilities for
patent infringement.
The material in this joint standard was developed by the EIA/JEDEC JC-14.1
Committee on Reliability Test Methods for Packaged Devices and the IPC
Plastic Chip Carrier Cracking Task Group (B-10a)
The J-STD-033 supersedes JESD22-A112 and IPC-SM-786.

For Technical Information Contact:

Electronic Industries Association/ IPC

JEDEC (Joint Electron Device 2215 Sanders Road
Engineering Council) Northbrook, IL 60062-6135
2500 Wilson Boulevard Phone (847) 509-9700
Arlington, VA 22201 Fax (847) 509-9798
Phone (703) 907-7560
Fax (703) 907-7501

Please use the Standard Improvement Form shown at the end of this
document.

©Copyright 1999. The Electronics Industries Association, Arlington, Virginia, and IPC, Northbrook, Illinois. All rights reserved under both
international and Pan-American copyright conventions. Any copying, scanning or other reproduction of these materials without the prior
written consent of the copyright holder is strictly prohibited and constitutes infringement under the Copyright Law of the United States.
 IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033
ASSOCIATION CONNECTING
ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES

Standard for Handling,

Packing, Shipping and
Use of Moisture/Reflow
Sensitive Surface
Mount Devices

A joint standard developed by the EIA/JEDEC JC-14.1 Committee on

Reliability Test Methods for Packaged Devices and the B-10a Plastic
Chip Carrier Cracking Task Group of IPC

Users of this standard are encouraged to participate in the

development of future revisions.

Contact:

EIA/JEDEC IPC
Engineering Department 2215 Sanders Road
2500 Wilson Boulevard Northbrook, IL 60062-6135
Arlington, VA 22201 Phone (847) 509-9700
Phone (703) 907-7500 Fax (847) 509-9798
Fax (703) 907-7501
IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033 April 1999

Acknowledgment
Members of the Joint IPC-EIA/JEDEC Moisture Classification Task Group have worked to develop this document. We
would like to thank them for their dedication to this effort. Any Standard involving a complex technology draws material
from a vast number of sources. While the principal members of the Joint Moisture Classification Working Group are shown
below, it is not possible to include all of those who assisted in the evolution of this Standard. To each of them, the mem-
bers of the EIA/JEDEC and IPC extend their gratitude.

IPC Packaged Electronic EIA/JEDEC JC 14.1 EIA/JEDEC JC 14

Components Committee Committee
Chairman Chairman Chairman
Martin Freedman Jack McCullen Nick Lycoudes
AMP, Inc. Intel Corp. Motorola

IPC Plastic Chip Carrier

Cracking Task Group, B-10a
Chairman
Steven Martell
Sonoscan, Inc.

Joint Working Group Members

Charlie Baker, TI Randy Walberg, National Connie M. Korth, K-Byte/Hibbing

Christopher Brigham, Hi/Fn Semiconductor Corp. Manufacturing
Ralph Carbone, Hewlett Packard Co. Charlie Wu, Adaptec Gabriele Marcantonio, NORTEL
Don Denton, TI Edward Masami Aoki, Hewlett Charles Martin, Hewlett Packard
Matt Dotty, Amkor Packard Laboratories Laboratories
Michele J. DiFranza, The Mitre Corp. Fonda B. Wu, Raytheon Systems Co. Richard W. Max, Alcatel Network
Richard W. Boerdner, EJE Research Systems Inc.
Leo Feinstein, Allegro Microsystems
Inc. Victor J. Brzozowski, Northrop Patrick McCluskey, University of
Grumman ES&SD Maryland
Barry Fernelius, Hewlett Packard Co.
Macushla Chen, Wus Printed Circuit James H. Moffitt, Moffitt Consulting
Chris Fortunko, National Institute of
Co. Ltd. Services
Standards
Jeffrey C. Colish, Northrop Grumman Robert Mulligan, Motorola Inc.
Robert J. Gregory, CAE Electronics,
Inc. Corp. James E. Mumby, Ciba
Curtis Grosskopf, IBM Corp. Samuel J. Croce, Litton Aero John Northrup, Lockheed Martin
Products Division Corp.
Bill Guthrie, IBM Corp.
Derek D-Andrade, Surface Mount Dominique K. Numakura, Litchfield
Phil Johnson, Philips Semiconductors
Technology Centre Precision Components
Nick Lycoudes, Motorola
Rao B. Dayaneni, Hewlett Packard Nitin B. Parekh, Unisys Corp.
Steven R. Martell, Sonoscan Inc. Laboratories Bella Poborets, Lucent Technologies
Jack McCullen, Intel Corp. Rodney Dehne, OEM Worldwide Inc.
Tom Moore, TI James F. Maguire, Boeing Defense & D. Elaine Pope, Intel Corp.
David Nicol, Lucent Technologies Space Group Ray Prasad, Ray Prasad Consultancy
Inc. Kim Finch, Boeing Defense & Space Group
Pramod Patel, Advanced Micro Group Albert Puah, Adaptec Inc.
Devices Inc. Alelie Funcell, Xilinx Inc. William Sepp, Technic Inc.
Ramon R. Reglos, Xilinx Constantino J. Gonzalez, ACME Ralph W. Taylor, Lockheed Martin
Corazon Reglos, Adaptec Munir Haq, Advanced Micro Devices Corp.
Gerald Servais, Delphi Delco Inc. Ed R. Tidwell, DSC Communications
Electronics Systems Larry A. Hargreaves, DC. Scientific Corp.
Richard Shook, Lucent Technologies Inc. Nick Virmani, Naval Research Lab
Inc. John T. Hoback, Amoco Chemical Ken Warren, Corlund Electronics
E. Lon Smith, Lucent Technologies Co. Corp.
Inc. Terence Kern, Axiom Electronics Inc. Yulia B. Zaks, Lucent Technologies
Inc.

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April 1999 IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033

Table of Contents
1 FOREWORD ................................................................ 1 7.2.5 ESD Protection...................................................... 7
7.2.6 Reuse of Carriers .................................................. 7
2 PURPOSE .................................................................... 1
7.2.7 Solderability Limitations ..................................... 7
3 SCOPE ....................................................................... 1
8 USE .............................................................................. 7
3.1 Packages ............................................................... 1
3.2 Assembly Processes ............................................. 1 8.1 Incoming Bag Inspection ..................................... 7
8.1.1 Upon Receipt......................................................... 7
3.3 Reliability ............................................................. 2
8.1.2 Component Inspection .......................................... 8
4 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS ..................................... 2
8.2 Floor Life .............................................................. 8
4.1 Joint Industry Standards ....................................... 2
8.3 Safe Storage .......................................................... 8
4.2 Electronic Industries Association
8.3.1 Dry Pack................................................................ 8
(EIA, JEDEC) ....................................................... 2
8.3.2 Dry Atmosphere Cabinet ...................................... 8
4.3 Department of Defense ........................................ 2
8.4 Reflow ................................................................... 8
4.4 American Society for Testing and Materials
(ASTM) ................................................................ 2 8.5 Drying Indicators ................................................. 9
8.6 Board Rework ....................................................... 9
5 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS ........................................ 2
9 DERATING DUE TO FACTORY ENVIRONMENTAL
6 DRY PACKING ........................................................... 3 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS .............................. 9
6.1 Requirements......................................................... 3
6.2 Drying of Components Before Being
Sealed in MBBs ................................................... 3 Figures

6.3 Dry Pack .............................................................. 3 Figure 1 Typical Dry Pack Configuration for Moisture-
Sensitive Packages in Shipping Tubes................ 4
6.3.1 Description ............................................................ 3
Figure 2 Sample Humidity Indicator Card .......................... 5
6.3.2 Materials ............................................................... 3
Figure 3 Moisture-Sensitive Identification
6.3.3 Labels ................................................................... 4 Label (Example) ................................................... 5
6.3.4 Shelf Life............................................................... 5 Figure 4 Moisture-Sensitive Caution Label (Example)....... 6

7 DRYING ...................................................................... 5
7.1 Post Exposure to Factory Ambient
Conditions ............................................................ 5 Tables
7.1.1 Any Duration Exposure ........................................ 5 Table 1 Dry Packing Requirements .................................. 3
7.1.2 Short Duration Exposure ...................................... 5 Table 2 Reference Conditions for Drying Components
7.2 General Considerations for Baking ..................... 6 that were Exposed to Conditions ≤60% RH ........ 6

7.2.1 High Temperature Carriers ................................... 6 Table 3 Default Baking Times Used Prior to Dry-Pack
that were Exposed to Conditions ≤60% RH ........ 7
7.2.2 Low Temperature Carriers .................................... 7
Table 4 Moisture Classification Level and Floor Life ........ 8
7.2.3 Paper and Plastic Container Items ....................... 7 Table 5 Recommended Equivalent Total Floor Life
7.2.4 Bakeout Times....................................................... 7 (days) @ 20°C, 25°C & 30°C ............................ 10

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April 1999 IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033

Standard for Handling, Packing, Shipping and Use of

Moisture/Reflow Sensitive Surface Mount Devices

1 FOREWORD
The advent of surface mount devices (SMDs) introduced a new class of quality and reliability concerns regarding package
cracks and delamination. This document describes the standardized levels of floor life exposure for moisture/reflow-sensitive
SMDs along with the handling, packing and shipping requirements necessary to avoid moisture/reflow-related failures.
Companion documents, J-STD-020, define the classification procedure, and JEP113, define the labeling requirements.
Moisture from atmospheric humidity will enter permeable packaging materials by diffusion and preferentially collect at the
dissimilar material interfaces. Assembly processes, used to solder SMDs to printed circuit boards (PCBs), will expose the
entire package body to temperatures higher than 200°C. During solder reflow, the combination of rapid moisture expansion
and materials mismatch can result in package cracking and/or delamination of critical interfaces within the package.
The solder reflow processes of concern are convection, convection/IR, infrared (IR), vapor phase (VPR), and hot air rework
tools. The use of assembly processes that immerse the component body in molten solder are not recommended for most
SMD components.

2 PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to provide SMD manufacturers and users with standardized methods for handling, pack-
ing, shipping, and use of moisture/reflow sensitive SMDs. These methods are provided to avoid damage from moisture
absorption and exposure to solder reflow temperatures that can result in yield and reliability degradation. By using these
procedures, safe and damage-free reflow can be achieved with the dry packing process, providing a minimum shelf life
capability in sealed dry-bags of 12 months from the seal date.

3 SCOPE

3.1 Packages

3.1.1 This standard applies to all nonhermetic SMDs subjected to bulk solder reflow processes during PCB assembly,
including plastic encapsulated packages and all other packages made with moisture-permeable polymeric materials (epoxies,
silicones, etc.) that are exposed to the ambient air.

3.1.2 Hermetic components are not at risk and do not require moisture precautionary handling.

3.2 Assembly Processes

3.2.1 This standard applies to bulk solder reflow assembly by convection, convection/IR, infrared (IR), and vapor phase
reflow (VPR) processes. It does not apply to bulk solder reflow processes that immerse the component bodies in molten sol-
der (e.g., backside wave solder). Such processes are not allowed for many SMDs and are not covered by the component
qualifications standards used as a basis for this document.

3.2.2 This standard also applies to moisture sensitive components that are removed or attached singly by local ambient
heating, i.e., ‘‘hot air rework.’’

3.2.3 This standard does not apply to components that are socketed and not exposed to solder reflow temperatures. Such
components are not at risk and do not require moisture precautionary handling.

3.2.4 This standard does not apply to components in which only the leads are heated to reflow the solder, e.g., hand-
soldering, hot bar attach of gull wing leads, and pin-thru-hole with backside wave solder. The heat absorbed by the pack-
age body from such operations is typically much lower than for bulk surface mount reflow or hot air rework, and moisture
precautionary measures are typically not needed.

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IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033 April 1999

3.3 Reliability

3.3.1 The methods set forth in this specification ensure that adequate component reliability, as evaluated and verified by
J-STD-020 and/or by JESD22-A113, plus environmental reliability testing, is maintained during and after the PCB assem-
bly operation.

3.3.2 This specification does not address or ensure solder joint reliability of attached components.

4 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

4.1 Joint Industry Standards

J-STD-020 Moisture/Reflow Sensitivity Classification for Nonhermetic Solid State Surface Mount Devices

4.2 Electronic Industries Association (EIA, JEDEC)

EIA-541 Packaging Material Standards for ESD Sensitive Items

EIA-583 Packaging Material Standards for Moisture Sensitive Items

EIA-625 Requirements for Handling Electrostatic Discharge Sensitive (ESD) Devices

JEP-113 Symbol and Labels for Moisture Sensitive Devices

JESD22-A113 Preconditioning of Nonhermetic Surface Mount Components Prior to Reliability Testing

4.3 Department of Defense

MIL-PRF-81705 Type I - Barrier Materials Flexible. Electrostatic-free. Heat sealable

MIL-D-3464 Type II - Desiccant, Activated, Bagged, Packaging Use and Static Dehumidification

MIL-I-8835 Indicator, Humidity, Card, Chemically Impregnated

4.4 American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

ASTM F 1249-90 Standard Test Method for Water Vapor Transmission Rate Through Plastic Film and Sheeting Using a
Modulated Infrared Sensor.

ASTM F 392-93 Standard Test Method for Flex Durability of Flexible Barrier Materials

5 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Active Desiccant—Desiccant that is either fresh (new) or has been baked according to the manufacturer’s recommendations
to renew desiccant to original specifications.
Bulk Reflow—Reflow of multiple components, with simultaneous attachment, by an infrared (IR), convection/IR, convec-
tion, or vapor phase reflow (VPR) process.
Carrier—Container that directly holds components, such as a tray, tube, or tape and reel.
Desiccant—An absorbent material used to maintain a low relative humidity in moisture barrier bags for dry-packing
moisture-sensitive devices. Desiccant may be a silica gel or other absorbent material packed in dustless pouches. Desiccant
must meet or exceed MIL-D-3464 Class II requirements.
Floor Life—The allowable time period, after removal from a moisture barrier bag and before the solder reflow process, for
a moisture sensitive device to be exposed to a factory ambient not exceeding 30°C and 60% RH.
Humidity Indicator Card (HIC)—A card on which a moisture sensitive chemical is printed such that it will change color
from blue to pink when the indicated relative humidity is exceeded. This is packed inside the moisture sensitive bag, along
with the desiccant, to aid in determining the level of moisture to which the moisture sensitive devices have been subjected.
The humidity indicator card should comply with MIL-I-8835.

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April 1999 IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033

Manufacturer’s Exposure Time (MET)—The maximum time after bake that the component manufacturer requires to pro-
cess components prior to bag seal. It also includes the maximum time allowed at the distributor for having the bag open to
split out smaller shipments.
Moisture Barrier Bag (MBB)—A bag designed to restrict the transmission of water vapor and used to pack moisture-
sensitive devices. The MBB should meet or exceed MIL-PRF-81705 Type I requirements for flexibility, electrostatic dis-
charge protection, mechanical strength, and puncture resistance. The water vapor transmission rate as measured using ASTM
F 1249-90 is required to be ≤0.002 gm/100 in2 in 24 hrs. at 40°C after flex testing per condition ‘‘E’’ of ASTM F 392-93.
Shelf Life—The minimum time that a dry-packed moisture sensitive device may be stored in an unopened MBB, such that
the required interior bag ambient humidity is maintained, based on the HIC reading.
Solder Reflow—The solder attachment process in which previously applied solder or solder paste is remelted to attach a
component to the printed circuit board.
Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR)—A measure of the permeability of plastic film or metallized plastic film material
to moisture, an important rating for moisture barrier bags.

6 DRY PACKING

6.1 Requirements Dry packing requirements for the various moisture sensitivity levels are shown in Table 1. The levels
are determined per J-STD-020 and/or per JESD22-A113 plus reliability testing. As a minimum all materials used in Dry
Packing should conform to EIA-541 and EIA-583.
Table 1 Dry Packing Requirements
Level Dry Before Bag MBB Desiccant MSID* Label Caution Label
1 Optional Optional Optional Not Required Not Required if Classified at 220°C
Required if Classified at 235°C
2 Optional Required Required Required Required
2a-5a Required Required Required Required Required
6 Optional Optional Optional Required Required
*MSID = Moisture-Sensitive Identification Label

6.2 Drying of Components Before Being Sealed in MBBs

6.2.1 Components classified at levels 2a through 5a must be dried (see clause 7) prior to being sealed in MBBs. The period
between drying and sealing must not exceed the MET less the time allowed for distributors to open the bags and repack
parts. If the supplier’s actual MET is more than the default 24 hours, then the actual time must be used. If the distributor
practice is to repack the MBBs with active desiccant, then this time does not need to be subtracted from the MET.

6.2.2 Suppliers may use the drying effect of normal in-line processes such as post mold cure, marking cure, and burn-in
to reduce the bake time. An equivalency evaluation is recommended to ensure that high temperature processing maintains
moisture weight gain to an acceptable level. The total weight gain for the package at the time it is sealed in the MBB must
not exceed the moisture gain of that package starting dry and then being exposed to 30°C/60% RH for MET hours (less the
time for distributors).

6.2.3 If the allowable time between bake and bag is exceeded, the components must be redried per clause 7.

6.3 Dry Pack

6.3.1 Description Dry pack consists of desiccant material and a humidity indicator card (HIC) sealed with the compo-
nents inside a moisture barrier bag (MBB). A representative dry pack configuration is shown in Figure 1.

6.3.2 Materials

6.3.2.1 Moisture Barrier Bag (MBB) The moisture barrier bag shall meet MIL-PRF-81705, TYPE I requirements for flex-
ibility, ESD protection, mechanical strength, and puncture resistance. The bags shall be heat sealable. The Water Vapor
Transmission Rate (WVTR), shall be ≤0.002 gm/100 in2 in 24 hrs. at 40°C after flex testing per Condition ‘‘E’’ of ASTM
F 392-93. The WVTR is measured using ASTM F 1249-90.

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IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033 April 1999

Moisture
Barrier
Bag

Desiccant
Pouches

Humidity
Indicator
Foam Card
End Cap

IPC-033-1

Figure 1 Typical Dry Pack Configuration for Moisture-Sensitive Packages in Shipping Tubes

6.3.2.2 Desiccant The desiccant material shall meet MIL-D-3464, TYPE II. Desiccant shall be dustless, noncorrosive,
and absorbent to amounts specified in the standard. The desiccant shall be packaged in moisture permeable bags or pouches.
The amount of desiccant used, per moisture barrier bag, shall be based on the bag surface area and WVTR in order to main-
tain an interior relative humidity in the MBB of less than 10% at 25°C.
For comparison between various desiccant types, military specifications adopted the ‘‘UNIT’’ as the basic unit of measure
of quantity for desiccant material. A UNIT of desiccant is defined as the amount that will absorb a minimum of 2.85 g of
water vapor at 20% RH and 25°C. To meet the dry pack requirements of this standard the amount of water vapor that a
UNIT of desiccant can absorb at 10% RH and 25°C must be known.
The number of UNITS required per bag may be determined by the following equation:
U = (0.304 * M * WVTR * A)/D
where:
U = Amount of desiccant in UNITS
M = Shelf life desired in months
WVTR = Water vapor transmission rate in grams/100 in2 in 24 hrs
A = Total surface area of the MBB in square inches
D = The amount of water in grams, that a UNIT of desiccant will absorb at 10% RH
Note: If materials such as trays, tubes, reels, etc., are placed in the bag without baking, additional desiccant will be required
to absorb the moisture contained in these materials.

6.3.2.3 Humidity Indicator Card (HIC) The HIC shall comply with MIL-I-8835. At minimum, the HIC shall have three
(3) color dots with sensitivity values of 8% RH, 10% RH, 20% RH. An example HIC is shown in Figure 2.
Note: As they become available it is recommended that HIC color dots sensitivity values be 5%, 10% and 15%.

6.3.3 Labels

6.3.3.1 Labels relevant to the dry pack process are the ‘‘Moisture-Sensitive Identification’’ (MSID) label and the ‘‘Cau-
tion’’ label as specified in JEDEC JEP113 (see Figures 3 and 4 below). The MSID label shall be affixed to the lowest level
shipping container that contains the MBB. The ‘‘Caution’’ label shall be affixed to the outside surface of the MBB.

6.3.3.2 Level 6 parts not shipped in MBBs shall have both an MSID label and the appropriate ‘‘Caution’’ label affixed to
the lowest level shipping container.

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April 1999 IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033

Indicator

Bake Units
20%
if Pink

Bake Units
if Pink 10%

Change
Desiccant 8%
if Pink

Discard if Circles Overrun

Avoid Metal Contact
IPC-033-2

Figure 2 Sample Humidity Indicator Card

Caution

e
Mo

ti v

is
tur si
e-Sen
IPC-033-3

Figure 3 Moisture-Sensitive Identification Label (Example)

6.3.3.3 Level 1 parts classified for 235°C reflow shall have a ‘‘Caution’’ label with the maximum reflow temperature
specified. The Caution label shall be affixed to the MBB (if used) or to the lowest level shipping container. Level 1 parts
classified for 220°C reflow do not require any moisture related labels.

6.3.4 Shelf Life The calculated shelf life for dry packed components shall be a minimum of 12 months from the bag seal
date, when stored in a noncondensing atmospheric environment of <40°C/90% RH.

7 DRYING
Component drying options for various moisture sensitivity levels and ambient humidity exposures of ≤60% RH are given
in the following two tables. Drying per an allowable option resets the floor life clock. If dried and sealed in an MBB with
fresh desiccant, the shelf life is reset. Tables 2 and 3 give reference conditions for drying components. Table 2 gives condi-
tions for rebake of components at a user site after the floor life has expired or other conditions have occurred to indicate
excess moisture exposure. Table 3 gives conditions for bake prior to dry pack at a supplier or distributor and allows for 24
hour MET.

7.1 Post Exposure to Factory Ambient Conditions

7.1.1 Any Duration Exposure Moisture sensitive components which have been exposed only to factory ambient conditions
of ≤60% RH for any length of time may be adequately dried by high or low temperature baking according to Table 2 for
rebake prior to reflow or Table 3 for drying prior to dry pack.

7.1.2 Short Duration Exposure Previously dry components, which have been exposed only to factory ambient conditions
not exceeding 30°C/60% RH for less than eight hours may be adequately dried by room temperature desiccation. A mini-
mum desiccating period of 5X the exposure time is required to dry the components enough to reset the floor life clock. The
following options are available for room temperature desiccation.

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IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033 April 1999

LEVEL
Caution
This bag contains
MOISTURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES If blank, see adjacent
bar code label
1. Calculated shelf life in sealed bag: 12 months at <40˚C and
<90% relative humidity (RH)

2. Peak package body temperature: __________________˚C

If blank, see adjacent bar code label

3. After bag is opened, devices that will be subjected to reflow

solder or other high temperature process must
a) Mounted within: __________ hours of factory conditions
If blank, see adjacent bar code label
<30˚C/60% RH, OR
b) Stored at <10% RH
4. Devices require bake, before mounting, if:
a) Humidity Indicator Card is >10% when read at 23 ± 5˚C
b) 3a or 3b not met

5. If baking is required, devices may be baked for 48 hours

at 125 ± 5˚C
Note: If device containers cannot be subjected to high
temperature or shorter bake times are desired,
reference IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033 for bake procedure
Bag Seal Date: ____________________________________
If blank, see adjacent bar code label

Note: Level and body temperature defined by IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020

IPC-033-4

Figure 4 Moisture-Sensitive Caution Label (Example)

Table 2 Reference Conditions for Drying Components that were Exposed to Conditions ≤60% RH
(User Bake: Floor Life Begins Counting at Time = 0 After Bake)
Package Thickness Level Bake @ 125°C Bake @ 40°C ≤5% RH
2a 4 hours 5 days
3 7 hours 11 days
≤1.4 mm 4 9 hours 13 days
5 10 hours 14 days
5a 14 hours 19 days
2a 18 hours 21 days
3 24 hours 33 days
≤2.0 mm 4 31 hours 43 days
5 37 hours 52 days
5a 48 hours 68 days
2a 48 hours 67 days
3 48 hours 67 days
≤4.0 mm 4 48 hours 68 days
5 48 hours 68 days
5a 48 hours 68 days

7.1.2.1 Dry Packed Components may be dry packed, or re-sealed in the existing dry pack after replacing the desiccant
with active desiccant. If total exposure is kept less than one hour, the original desiccant may be reused.

7.1.2.2 Dry Box Components may be placed in a dry box, capable of maintaining 25° ± 5°C and less than 10% RH.
Nitrogen or dry air may be used.

7.2 General Considerations for Baking

7.2.1 High Temperature Carriers Unless otherwise indicated by the manufacturer, components shipped in high tempera-
ture carriers (e.g., high temperature trays) can be baked in the carriers at 125°C.

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April 1999 IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033

Table 3 Default Baking Times Used Prior to Dry-Pack that were Exposed to Conditions ≤60% RH
(Supplier Bake: MET = 24 Hours)
Package Thickness Level Bake @ 125°C Bake @ 150°C
2a 8 hours 4 hours
3 16 hours 8 hours
≤1.4 mm 4 21 hours 10 hours
5 24 hours 12 hours
5a 28 hours 14 hours
2a 23 hours 11 hours
3 43 hours 21 hours
≤2.0 mm 4 48 hours 24 hours
5 48 hours 24 hours
5a 48 hours 24 hours
2a 48 hours 24 hours
3 48 hours 24 hours
≤4.0 mm 4 48 hours 24 hours
5 48 hours 24 hours
5a 48 hours 24 hours

7.2.2 Low Temperature Carriers Components shipped in low temperature carriers (e.g., tubes, low temperature trays, tape
and reel) may not be baked in the carriers at any temperature higher than 40°C. If a higher bake temperature is required,
components must be removed from the low temperature carriers to thermally safe carriers, baked, and returned to the low
temperature carriers.
Notes:
1. Manual handling may increase the risk of mechanical and/or ESD damage.
2. If components are placed in dry bags with unbaked carriers, refer to 6.3.2.2.

7.2.3 Paper and Plastic Container Items Paper and plastic container items such as cardboard boxes, bubble pack, plas-
tic wrap, etc., shall be removed from around the carriers prior to baking. Rubber bands around tubes and plastic tray ties
must also be removed prior to high temperature (125°C) bake.

7.2.4 Bakeout Times Bakeout times start when all components reach the specified temperature.

7.2.5 ESD Protection Proper ESD handling precautions should be observed, per EIA 625. This is particularly critical if
components are manually handled by vacuum pencils under low humidity conditions, e.g., in a dry environment, after bak-
ing, etc.

7.2.6 Reuse of Carriers The appropriate materials specification should be consulted before reusing carriers.

7.2.7 Solderability Limitations

7.2.7.1 Oxidation Risk Baking components may cause solder oxidation and/or intermetallic growth, which if excessive
can result in solderability problems during board assembly. The temperature and time for baking components are therefore
limited by solderability considerations. Unless otherwise indicated by the supplier, one bake cycle is allowable on a finished
component. If more than one bake cycle is needed, the supplier should be consulted.

7.2.7.2 Carrier Outgassing Risk Care should be taken to ensure that outgassing of materials from the component carri-
ers does not occur to any significant extent, such that solderability might be affected.

8 USE
Upon opening the MBB, the floor life clock starts. If an MBB is opened and the components will not be used within the
specified floor life, the procedures in clause 7 should be followed.

8.1 Incoming Bag Inspection

8.1.1 Upon Receipt Dry packed components should be inspected for a bag seal date located on the caution or bar code
label. The bags should be inspected to verify there are no holes, gouges, tears, punctures or openings of any kind that would

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IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033 April 1999

expose either the contents or an inner layer of a multilayer bag. If openings are found, the humidity indicator card (HIC)
should be read to determine the proper recovery action.

8.1.2 Component Inspection Intact bags may be opened for component inspection by cutting the top of the bag near the
seal. If the bags are opened under factory ambient conditions for less than eight hours, resealing with active desiccant, or
placing components in a dry atmosphere cabinet, for at least 5X the exposure time is required to redry the components. See
7.1.2.

8.2 Floor Life The floor life of SMDs per Table 4 will be modified by environmental conditions other than 30°C/60% RH.
Refer to clause 9 to determine maximum allowable time before rebake would be necessary. If partial lots are used, the
remaining components must be resealed or placed in a dry box at <10% RH within one hour of bag opening. If one hour
exposure is exceeded, refer to 7.1.
Table 4 Moisture Classification Level and Floor Life
Level Floor life (out of bag) at factory ambient ≤30°C/60% RH or as stated
1 Unlimited at ≤30°C/85% RH
2 1 year
2a 4 weeks
3 168 hours
4 72 hours
5 48 hours
5a 24 hours
6 Mandatory bake before use. After bake, must be reflowed within the time limit specified on the label

8.3 Safe Storage ‘‘Safe storage’’ means dry components held in a controlled humidity condition such that the floor life
clock remains at zero. Acceptable safe storage conditions for components classified as level 2 through 5a are listed below.

8.3.1 Dry Pack Dry packed components in intact MBBs, stored per 6.3.4, shall have a calculated shelf life of at least 12
months from the bag seal date shown on the caution or bar code label.

8.3.2 Dry Atmosphere Cabinet Loose components may be placed in a dry atmosphere cabinet, capable of maintaining 25
± 5°C and less than 10% RH. Nitrogen or dry air may be used.

8.4 Reflow Reflow includes bulk reflow and single component removal/attachment for rework.

8.4.1 After a dry pack (MBB) has been opened, all components within that bag must complete all high temperature reflow
processing, including rework, prior to the stated floor life, resealed in the MBB, or stored in a dry atmosphere cabinet per
7.1.2.2. If the floor life or factory ambient conditions are exceeded, refer to 8.5.2.

8.4.2 During reflow the component body temperature must not exceed the rated value, stated on the ‘‘Caution’’ label. The
body temperature during reflow directly influences component reliability.
Notes:
1. The component body temperature may be very different from the lead or solder ball temperature, particularly in IR and
IR/convection processes, and should be checked separately.
2. Some hot air attach processes may require heating the component body to temperatures hotter than 220°C. If that tem-
perature exceeds the classification temperature, moisture precautions and/or time-temperature limitations beyond the
scope of this specification may be required. The supplier should be consulted.

8.4.3 During reflow, the additional thermal profile parameters stated in JESD22-A113 should not be exceeded. Although
the body temperature during reflow is the most critical parameter, other profile parameters such as the total exposure time
to hot temperatures, and the heating rates, may also influence component reliability.

8.4.4 If more than one reflow pass is used, care must be taken to ensure that no moisture sensitive components, mounted
or unmounted, have exceeded their floor life prior to the final pass.

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April 1999 IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033

Note: For cavity packages, in which water may be entrapped, water clean processes after the first reflow can be an addi-
tional source of moisture. This may present an additional risk, which should be evaluated.

8.4.5 A maximum of three reflow passes is allowed per component. If more than three are required for any reason, the
supplier must be consulted.

8.5 Drying Indicators

8.5.1 Excessive Humidity in the Dry Pack Excessive humidity in the dry pack is noted by the humidity indicator card
(HIC). It can occur due to misprocessing (e.g., missing or inadequate desiccant), mishandling (e.g., tears or rips in the
MMB), or improper storage.
The HIC should be read immediately upon removal from the MMB. For best accuracy, the HIC should be read at 23 ± 5°C.
The following conditions apply regardless of the storage time, i.e., whether or not the shelf life has been exceeded.

8.5.1.1 If the 10% RH dot is blue, the parts are still adequately dry. The desiccant should be replaced by active desiccant
if the bag is going to be resealed.

8.5.1.2 If the 8% RH dot is pink and the 10% RH dot is not blue, the components have been exposed to an excessive level
of moisture, and drying must be done per clause 7.

8.5.2 Floor Life or Ambient Temperature/Humidity Exceeded.

8.5.2.1 If the floor life or ambient temperature/humidity conditions per Table 4 have been exceeded, components must be
dried per clause 7 prior to reflow or safe storage.

8.5.2.2 If the factory ambient temperature and/or humidity conditions per Table 4 cannot be met, the component floor life
must be derated to compensate. Floor life derating is discussed in clause 9.

8.5.3 Level 6 Components Components classified as level 6 must be dried by baking, then reflowed within the time limit
specified on the label.

8.6 Board Rework If packages are to be removed from the board, it is recommended that localized heating be used and
the maximum body temperature excursion of any surface mount component not exceed 200°C. This method will minimize
moisture related component damage. If the component temperature exceeds 200°C, the board may require a bakeout prior
to rework. The component temperature shall be measured at the top center of the package body. If the part is to be reused,
it is recommended that it be baked dry before remount. Replacement components shall not have exceeded their specified
floor life. Localized replacement reflow heating is recommended, so that the entire board is not re-subjected to reflow tem-
perature profiles.
Note: Temperatures on neighboring components above 183°C may cause some solder joints to partially reflow, which may
result in a potential solder joint reliability concern.

9 DERATING DUE TO FACTORY ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Factory floor life exposures for components removed from the dry bags will be a function of the ambient environmental
conditions. A safe, yet conservative, handling approach is to expose the components only up to the maximum time limits for
each moisture sensitivity level as shown in Table 4. This approach, however, does not work if the factory humidity or tem-
perature are greater than the testing conditions of 30°C/60% RH. A solution for addressing this problem is to derate the
exposure times based on the knowledge of moisture diffusion in the component packaging materials. Recommended equiva-
lent total floor life exposures can be estimated for a range of humidities and temperatures based on the nominal plastic
thickness for each device. Table 5 lists equivalent derated floor lives for humidities ranging from 20-90% RH for three tem-
peratures, 20°C, 25°C, and 30°C. This table is applicable to SMDs molded with novolac, biphenyl or multifunctional epoxy
mold compounds. The following assumptions were used in calculating Table 5:
1. Activation Energy for diffusion = 0.35eV (smallest known value)
2. For ≤60% RH, use Diffusivity = 0.121exp (-0.35eV/kT) mm2/s (this uses smallest known Diffusivity @ 30°C)
3. For >60% RH, use Diffusivity = 1.320exp (-0.35eV/kT) mm2/s (this uses largest known Diffusivity @ 30°C)

9
IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033 April 1999

Table 5 Recommended Equivalent Total Floor Life (days) @ 20°C, 25°C & 30°C
For ICs with Novolac, Biphenyl and Multifunctional Epoxies
(Reflow at same temperature at which the component was classified)
Maximum Percent Relative Humidity
Body Thickness (t) M.S. Level 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Level 2a ∞ 60 41 33 28 10 7 6 30°C
∞ 78 53 42 36 14 10 8 25°C
∞ 103 69 57 47 19 13 10 20°C
Level 3 10 9 8 7 7 5 4 4 30°C
13 11 10 9 9 7 6 5 25°C
t ≥3.1 mm 17 14 13 12 12 10 8 7 20°C
PQFPs >84 pins, Level 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 30°C
PLCCs (square) 5 5 5 5 4 3 3 3 25°C
MQFPs 7 7 7 7 6 5 4 4 20°C
or PBGAs Level 5 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 30°C
5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 25°C
7 6 5 5 4 3 3 3 20°C
Level 5a 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 30°C
2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 25°C
4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 20°C
Level 2a ∞ ∞ 86 39 28 4 3 2 30°C
∞ ∞ 148 51 37 6 4 3 25°C
∞ ∞ ∞ 69 49 8 5 4 20°C
Level 3 19 12 9 8 7 3 2 2 30°C
25 15 12 10 9 5 3 3 25°C
t ≤2.1 mm
32 19 15 13 12 7 5 4 20°C
t <3.1 mm
Level 4 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 30°C
PLCCs (rectangular) 18-32 pins
7 5 5 4 4 3 2 2 25°C
SOICs (wide body) 9 7 6 6 5 4 3 3 20°C
SOICs ≥20 pins,
Level 5 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 30°C
PQFPs ≤80 pins 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 25°C
5 5 4 4 4 3 3 2 20°C
Level 5a 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 0.5 30°C
2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 25°C
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 20°C
Level 2a ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ 28 1 1 1 30°C
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ 2 1 1 25°C
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ 2 2 1 20°C
Level 3 ∞ ∞ ∞ 11 7 1 1 1 30°C
∞ ∞ ∞ 14 10 2 1 1 25°C
t <2.1 mm ∞ ∞ ∞ 20 13 2 2 1 20°C
TSOPs, Level 4 ∞ 9 5 4 3 1 1 1 30°C
SOICs <18 pins ∞ 12 7 5 4 2 1 1 25°C
TQFPs or ∞ 17 9 7 6 2 2 1 20°C
TBGAs Level 5 13 5 3 2 2 1 1 1 30°C
18 6 4 3 3 2 1 1 25°C
26 8 6 5 4 2 2 1 20°C
Level 5a 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 30°C
5 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 25°C
6 4 3 2 2 2 2 1 20°C

10
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