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ESD CORRUAGTED PROJECTS

BY: BOB VERMILLION CPP CERTIFIED, ESD ENGINEER, NARTE AMERICAN RIVER PACKAGING, INC. ESD packaging requirements can be confusion unless one follows the proper procedures or understands the requirements: static shielding, resistance tance-resistivity data/static decay data /reducible sulfur/ abraision resistance data/recyclability & testing data are necessary information from suppliers. Your corporate ESD liaison can review the information before selecting a product. Tips: Use inches with fractions: use of metric system may be confusing to a corrugated industry that is based on the English system. Do not allow for conversions to take place and errors to accumulate. For example, 196.85 mm equals 7.75 inches. It should read 3/4 inches on the drawing. Fortunately, most commercial corrugated CAD programs are English and metric based. For the non-packaging engineer: Unless you are familiar with corrugated compression indexes, scoring allowances, ECT, high performance materials, and corrugated industry accepted box styles then avoid telling an ESD packaging representative to match a box size if a redesign is necessary. Best option: take the measurements of the circuit board or product, or provide an item sample to the supplier. Likewise, let them know of the circuit boards size(s) per package, weight of the board, method of shipment and the number of units per master container. In this way, the package professional can design around your requirements and in conformance to shipping regulations. A product can be loaded into boxes and subjected to drop tests, environmental chamber tests (extreme temperature levels) and then re-tested for ESD soundness, compression and liner separation. Electronic packaging guidelines generated design: Most ESD corrugated materials are made of b-flute corrugated and c-flute is common for conventional corrugated. E-flute is common for mini component shippers and solid fiber is utilized. Corrugation is the arched flutes that are sandwiched between one or two liners. The ESD liner/corrugated materials vary in construction and performance. Avoid gaps in HSC or RSC designs. Slots or gaps or space can compromise static shielding. If you want long term use in a container, then consider roll over dividers and roll over walls in your design process. Consider die cutting versus boxes requiring gluing. Most ESD corrugated tends to have inferior bonds for glue joints (special glues exist for the task). Machine set-up requires additional considerations to paper as scoring and flap memory. Smaller depth boxes that are made from heavier weight liners are more difficult to form. Challenge the supplier to provide specifications for the material or a electronic packaging guidelines qualification letter. Independent lab results per electronic packaging guidelines are important! Demand a prototype for evaluation. After the container is evaluated then ask for a quotation. It is extremely difficult to predict costs without a ship point, quantities ordered for the first time, print considerations and tooling. For example, a RSC can only take a day to quote while an in plant handler may take a week. Organizations usually need two weeks for an initial order (after approval of the design and pricing process). If you rush the process then potential mistakes can arise. Print cards, drawings from the supplier and tooling costs are needed. It usually takes 5 days to make cutting and printing dies. It is OK to sole source materials if the supplier has the necessary materials in supply. Quotes usually take 8 hours for simple boxes which may require cutting die costs or 5 days for a sample and quote for a complex in-plant handling container. Some important information: Specify size, Inside Dimensions Provide samples of product when available Ask for 1st articles signature Specify ECT values or MULLEN Note quantities for 1st order Printing requirements: coverage and number of colors and what panels Box style & flute construction Provide drawings or sample of container Type of pallet: units/bundle-number per pallet Example: RELF with dust flaps and cherry lock flaps for JEDEC box Id: 14 inches x 7 inches x 4 inches blank: 27.625 inches x 33 inches Kraft exterior and ESD shielding interior Meets electronic packaging guidelines and minimum ECT of 32 Box is of b-flute construction Printing 2 panels for 1 color @ 35% coverage Initial order of 2400 containers to have 4 shipments in one month of 600/shipment.