Our company is looking at the use of plastic components on a variety of hardware, primarily military and commercial avionics types of products. We have setup a special project team that has studied the moisture sensitivity/baking/handling issues that arise when the use of PEM devices are incorporated on a design. The team has written in detail, all the steps associated with the implementation of an "ideal/should be" ( zero percent risk) process. This process addresses the identification of the moisture sensitivity level of the parts during the hardware design phase; identification/tracking labels and special pacakging notes on purchase orders during procurement; handling and re-packaging instructions for the Receiving Inspection and Stockrooms personnel; baking, usage, storage, tracking and equipment procedures for the Manufacturing Floor. In short, the "ideal no risk approach". The implementation of a process with this type of complexity, dependent upon many inputs from various functional groups and component suppliers seems very difficult, if not impossible to control. Additionally, the cost of implementatiion seems to out weigh the benifits associated with using cheaper parts in the first place. Also my limited contacts in the industry indicate that baking and controlling to this degree is not necessarily an accepted practice. Some manufactures bake all parts (PEM's), some bake selectively and some (seems like a majority) do not bake at all. The only common thread, is that no one has experienced (or is willing to admit) the hardware failures associated with entrapped moisture. So my question is: Are the manufactures who bake, incurring unnecessary costs and are being overly conservative in their manufacturing process controls and addressing a non-problem? Or are those who don't bake, ignoring a real problem that will eventually catch up with them? Any opinions, statements of facts or fleeting thoughts on this topic would be greatly appreciated. Jim Weiss Harris Corp. 407-727-6872