If they are that old, they are likely not leadfree/RoHS compliant or
heat tolerant - I wouldn't want to use them in any leadfree soldering
process.
What did we do with a lot of our older components?  Scrap them and hand
them over to our training department to use with the new hires training
classes.  
(we had one of those buyers too - 100,000 parts covering several 1206
resistor and 0805 capacitor part numbers still in inventory last year,
all bought in 1998...)

-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Matthew Lamkin
Sent: May 18, 2007 4:55 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [TN] Using up old components?

Hello Technetters, it's a while since I have been here..
(I only ask here because Steve woke up & popped into the DesignerNet
forum reminding me about here :-)

I have been looking into our stocked components to improve my PCB
program's libraries to match what we stock etc.

I am coming across several components that we appear to have many
thousands of, yet are little used ("that" buyer no longer works for us -
lol) I.E. we have a BAV99 SOT23 diode that was purchased  in 1992, 94,
94.
(it is used on a single board - only a few a year)

These are sat on a shelf, on the reel in a black anti static bag.
No air conditioning/humidity control etc.

Pulling the first diode off the reel & using a jewellers eyeglass I can
see that the legs look a little brown (tarnished).

I'm interested in what others do about this type of situation, do you
have a policy on using old components?

Do tarnished legs cause big problems soldering with lead free solder?

Thank you,
Matthew Lamkin.

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