Because electronic components are growing smaller and more sensitive, it’s vital to make sure they are protected against ESD events such as static discharge. According to ANSI/ESD S20.20, “Protective packaging is required to store, transport, and protect ESDS electronic items during all phases of production.” According to the updated 2018 requirements for ANSI/ESD S541, the shielding requirement was changed so remaining discharge for the bags should be under 20 nanojoules. The Pink Poly bag is one of the more common low charging bags. Pink Poly bags are made with a tinted polyethylene material with an antistatic coating that might wear away. This turns the bag become an insulator over time, thus it’s no longer in compliance with ANSI/ESD S541 recommendations. The bags also lack discharge shielding protection which makes components in the bag subject to ESD event damage. Metallized Shielding bags are made from a metalized polyester film and a low charging polyethylene laminate. This film provides them with a shielding layer that creates a Faraday cage that protects the ESD-sensitive components in the bag from any ESD event damage. The low charging layers of the bag prevent tribocharging from occurring, which minimizes the buildup of ESD charges when handling components.

Have you been questioned by your quality manager about shelf life on ESD bags? Maybe it’s an internal quality procedure that is being written and you would like to know the manufacturer’s position on the shelf life of ESD packaging. Well, today we will look at the details of ESD Static Control bag storage and its expected shelf life. There are thousands of options to consider when we discuss shelf life. Heat, storage rack conditions, travel method, and local climate are a few. So the key takeaways are:

• Avoid extremes: Hot, cold, sunlight, moisture, add controls when possible
• In a controlled environment, our ESD bags have seen 5 years of provable shelf life.
• Follow the FIFO process as a best practice for inventory.
• ESD static bag manufacturers that we represent warranty the product for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase. You need to audit every year or prior to use as a best practice and to be sure that your devices are receiving the best possible protection.
• If bags are questionable, recycle them at your local recycling center and order new ones from Restronics Mid Atlantic.