Hi everyone. Today I got my first electronics parts through mail, and I saw that the 5 temperature sensors I had ordered were into a dark bag, which I later found out it is called a "static bag". What is this about? And why not other components were not in static bags as well? The other components were buttons, mini speakers and light sensors.

Thanks!
John

 

Only high impedance devices (e.g. MOS, laser diodes et al) are deemed sufficiently ESD-liable to warrent special packaging...

Best regards
HP

 

There are a lot of temperature sensors, but I can't think of one that needs static protection.
Do you have a part number?

 

Only high impedance devices (e.g. MOS, laser diodes et al) are deemed sufficiently ESD-liable to warrent special packaging...

Best regards
HP

Thanks, can you explain what ESD means? Shall I keep them into the static bag until I use them? Or i can put them in my components box?

 

ESD: Electro Static Discharge
static electricity.

 

There are a lot of temperature sensors, but I can't think of one that needs static protection.
Do you have a part number?

I think it's DS18B20
It's these ones: http://grobotronics.com/temperature-sensor-ds18b20-el.html

 

Thanks, can you explain what ESD means? Shall I keep them into the static bag until I use them? Or i can put them in my components box?

ESD=Electrostatic discharge

In addition to proper storage you should practice ESD handling precautions (grounding bracelet, tools, etc.)

Note, however, that some distributors ship all electronic components in ESD packaging regardless of enhanced sensitivity thereto -- hence it may behoove you to consult the datasheet prior to handling...

Best regards
HP

 

I don't see the datasheet whining about static protection.

 

almost all parts I get are in anti static bags. even hardware. I guess they want to stock only one kind of bag now, and it might as well be the anti static ones. electrolytic caps, even resistors all in antistatic bags.

 

Everything we buy at work that is an "active" component comes in static bags for us..
The only electronic components that don't are resistors and some diodes..

Transistors do.. LED's do.. OpAmps do, micros do,etc....

 

After decades of handling thousands of ESD sensitive computer components (RAM, CPUs, cards, etc) in a very unapproved manner I have not managed to damage anything yet. Highly disappointing.

 

Manufacturers and suppliers would not spend millions of dollars to ship their products in anti-static bags and containers if they can avoid it.

The fact that you have never encountered ESD damaged components is beside the point.

There is ample electron microscopic evidence of what happens when a semiconductor structure is damaged by ESD. The component may function ok now or for days, months or years. When the component finally succumbs to the original ESD damage when the product is in the field, the consequences and repair costs are sky high, considering how easily preventable it was in the first place.

My advice: Keep components in the anti-static bags until ready for use. Exercise proper ESD handling procedures.

(I design and build instruments for nuclear and medical applications. Equipment failure in the field is one thing I try to prevent wherever possible.)

 

I agree with Mr. Chips. In another life we had a minimum wage supply guy. He bought a great storage system but refused to buy the anti-stat containers for ICs. He didn't believe in it and his boss was dumber than he was. Every part he received he took out of the anti-stat bag and dumped into these plastic boxes. If I needed one IC, I would get three. Generally one of the the three was bad, the second one would fail in an hour, the third lasted longer...maybe.

ESD is real and you need to learn and keep the anti-stat discipline. A part that fails because you pushed it too hard is one thing. It is really sad when a part fails because you were too lazy to put on a anti- stat wrist strap.

 

Back when power MOSFETs were the new thing we had a manufacturer's rep in to tell us how good they were. We asked him "what about this static thing?" "Oh not a problem" he was happy to reply. "We treat them just the same way we do with bipolar transistors."

Spin forward a couple of years and the manufacturer's rep for the anti static stuff was telling us "you need mats and straps and ion generators. And get these booties too least a supervisor walk behind a tech and blow up what he has open on his bench."

I have had but a single incident with static and CMOS: one certain device we were building had a horrible failure rate 2 lots in a row, same CMOS chip. There were hybrid microcircuits where the bare die is laid down and each pad is ultrasonically wire bonded down to the conductors on the substrate. I added an assembly note to stitch the power and ground pins first (which connects the ESD diodes) and the failures dropped down to near zero.

Well, single if you don't count the telephone answering machine when I I touched the play button and blew it's 2 amp fuse. Twice.

Most of the time I'm mildly indifferent to anti-static. Completed boards or units just are not very sensitive to "normal" levels of static.

But not this winter: with the dry Canadian polar air mass overhead we have frequent random component failures. I've become the company static nazi insisting people put their damn static straps on before they pick up anything.

Hasn't done much for failures; I assumed all along the damage was done back at assembly time. Still, I'm just not going to add to the damage totals in my department where I have control.

 

...There is ample electron microscopic evidence of what happens when a semiconductor structure is damaged by ESD. The component may function ok now or for days, months or years. When the component finally succumbs to the original ESD damage when the product is in the field, the consequences and repair costs are sky high, considering how easily preventable it was in the first place...

Behold Latency! Complacency's great abettor! -- Good call!

Best regards
HP

 

I wear insulated boots and synthetic fabrics so I'm a massive static source but I use ESD protective straps, mats and bags consistently and haven't damaged or destroyed any ESD sensitive components yet.

By the way, there's a significant difference between a static dissipative bag and a static shielding bag.

 

ElectroStatic Discharge

 

...By the way, there's a significant difference between a static dissipative bag and a static shielding bag.

A further caveat --- Please be advised of “pink poly’s” incompatibility with polycarbonate resins (owing to the amine content of the former) – A lesson I learned the ‘hard’ way…

Best regards

 

Wow, thanks for the input guys. I'll see if I can get an antistatic component box to keep everything safe...