Hi Ofer, We impose similar requirements on our suppliers, TH components no older than 18 months and SMT components no older than 12 months. I approve about 5 waivers each week (maybe I shouldn't publish that, in case any of my suppliers are on Technet) for component age. We've been lucky so far, and haven't seen our defect rate go through the roof. We don't use BGAs in our process, but do have a fair amount of fine pitch QFPs in our designs. I've considered changing our requirement to be either the age restriction or a recent third party solderability test, but haven't gone anywhere with that idea. In this forum a while back (at least a year) there was a short thread about component age restrictions and a link to a publication by the NEDA (electronic distributors association) regarding better controls on component stock, storage methods and all by the distributors and suggested that age restrictions were no longer necessary. Check the archives for that thread. I'm still skeptical, and if, as the paper suggested, removed these restrictions altogether would be compelled to audit all my component suppliers (distributors) for their handling and storage methods of components. I thought that Jack Crawford may have been looking into this from an IPC perspective. I believe he posted the original article from NEDA. Blair Hogg Quality Manager GAI-Tronics Corporation >>> [log in to unmask] 06/10/03 08:16AM >>> Hello, Technetters, Although we have decided (and documented in our procedures) that the age of the components during the income inspection will be 18 months max, the market situation, jobbers plea (and consecutively - pricing) and time to market (and the purchasing department) are twisting my hand, to approve reception of old components. Given that: a) we do not have a lab; b) all we can do before the assembly is visual inspection (especially of BGAs); c) components dehydration profile is 120 degC for 8 hours min; d) components age is 3 years and more, I am trying to find the best process by making visual inspection of the components (flatness and corrosion of balls/pads), dehydration and thorough electrical testing. Have any suggestions? Regards Ofer Cohen Quality Assurance Manager Seabridge Ltd. ********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept for the presence of computer viruses. www.hubbell.com - Hubbell Incorporated ********************************************************************** --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 -----------------------------------------------------