1.What is a dry cabinet?
In short, a dry cabinet is a storage device that allows you to protect a wide range of products against humidity problems. A Desiccant Dry Cabinet is an enclosure with a supply of desiccant which maintains an internal environment of 1-50% RH. Desiccant dry cabinets are also called: desiccators, dry boxes, dehumidifying cabinets, and ultra low humidity storage cabinets.
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2. What should be stored in a dry desiccant cabinet?
Any component classified as an MSD (Moisture sensitive device), particularly devices classified as level 4-5a. These devices are most susceptible to moisture related defects. Desiccant dry cabinets can also be used to store partially populated double sided boards. While waiting to re-enter production to complete 2nd side assembly, components begin to absorb moisture that could do harm once the PCB is introduced back to the reflow oven.
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3. What are the defects that I could experience related to moisture contamination of MSDs?
Bond damage, wire necking
Bond lifting, die lifting
Thin film cracking, cratering beneath the bondsCorrosion due to ionic contaminants, popcorning" and micro-cracking of ICs and
BGAs
Increase in thermal resistance due to delamination: Cracks & Paddle delamination
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4. How can I tell if I have MSD-related defects occurring on my floor?
Ther defects such as cracking may be visible to the eye, and ‘popcorning’ may actually be heard coming from inside your oven in severe cases. Still, it’s very difficult to detect these defects. If you are interested in determining whether your process may be susceptible to moisture-related damage you could run the following test:

Allow a tray of MSDs to flow through your process as they normally would while being assembled (including all dwell times and reflow). At the end of the process send the MSDs to an independent lab for scanning acoustic microscopy, or cross-sectioning. If defects are evident in the results then you can be sure that you would realize savings and reliability with the implementation of an MSD control program.
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5. How to make the best use of a Dry cabinet in order to satisfy IPC JEDEC J-STD 033?
The implementation and correct use (calculated storage duration based upon floor exposure, etc) of a desiccant dry cabinet capable of maintaining less than 5% RH is a crucial part of a strong MSD control program.
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 6.What is desiccant and how does it work?
Desiccant is defined as; “A substance that has a high affinity for water and is used as a drying agent “- from Latin dsiccns.. High quality desiccants have an ability to be recycled or refreshed easily and effectively, bringing them back to full strength.
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7. What is recovery time?
This may be the single most important cabinet performance parameter, though Minimum RH level is the most frequently cited. Recovery time refers to the time required for the cabinet to reduce the RH level back to its set point after the door has been opened and closed.
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8. What are the benefits of dry cabinets over moisture barrier bags (MBBs)?
Saves labour; trays and reels can be placed directly into cabinet without having to be placed into MBB (moisture barrier bags)
Save cost; Less desiccant (i.e. indicating silica gel), and MBB’s required.
More secure, no need to be concerned with; Calculations to determine the correct amount of desiccant, the quality and remaining absorbency of the desiccant, and potential mis-sealing, or possibility punctures of the bags themselves
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9. What happens to my Dry cabinet if the power goes off?
Dry cabinets are designed and manufactured to be able to maintain an environment of <5% RH for a period of 10 days, and <10% RH for a period of approximately 20 days if the cabinets remain closed and no new moisture is introduced.
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10. Does the number of doors represent the number of storage areas in a Dry Cabinet?
No, there are a variety of models, with a variety of door configurations. The interior of the cabinet is one environment. However from a higher number of doors; there is less of an exchange of atmosphere when a smaller door is opened and closed.
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11. Can I change the configuration of the Dry cabinet later?
We offer options to make our cabinets more suitable to your particular application. It includes: additional shelves, nitrogen saving device QDN, additional dryer unit.
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12. Can I buy parts from you to upgrade our current other brand Dry cabinet?
Yes, our dry cabinet is modular design. We offer these modules separately. Please go to our option page under product to choose.
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13. Does the desiccant require replacing?
No, the desiccant is extremely well suited to the task and should perform well under normal operating conditions for 10 years or more without replacement.
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14. Do Dry cabinets require any maintenance?
Easy to service, low maintenance.
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15. Do Dry cabinets require calibration?
Yes, we provide instructions regarding a short procedure that can be carried out in house. Suggested frequency - once per year.
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16. How to reset floor life?
According to the industry standard IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033B.1 table 4-3, the floor life of a component can be reset in different ways depending on the exposure time and MSL Level (moisture sensitivity level). Component can be stored in <5%RH or <10%RH Ultra low humidity dry cabinet for 5 times or 10 times the exposure time to reset its floor life. Component can also be baked in 40ºC with 5%RH dry cabinet to reset its floor life. Different components and exposure times will require different floor life resetting methods.
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17. How does baking 40ºC dry cabinet work?
With baking 40ºC auto dry cabinet, floor life of components can be reset .High temperature oven baking will no longer be needed. The baking 40℃ auto dry cabinet is able to bake the components in mild 40℃ and have the uniquely designed dehumidifying system working at the same time. By using this baking 40℃ auto dry cabinet, moistures deep inside the components can be vapor out completely in a fast rate, achieving 100% total drying result. At the same time, this baking 40℃ auto dry cabinet also avoids the chance of oxidation on components which happens in repeated high temperature baking. In most cases, after components are baked to reset their floor life, during the time of temperature cool down, moisture in the air will reattach back to the component. This phenomenon will affect the quality of the production and cause defective products to be made. With baking 40℃ auto dry cabinet, even the heaters are cut off, humidity inside the cabinet still maintains in ultra-low humidity. This avoids the moisture in the air from reattaching back to the components. Humidity inside the cabinet will be kept in <5%RH when the heater is turned off. This baking 40℃ auto dry cabinet can be used as an ultra low humidity dry cabinet for storing your SMT components.
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18. What is the benefit of baking 40ºC dry cabinet?
Our baking 40ºC auto dry cabinet is an ALL-IN-ONE bake and storage dry cabinet. No nitrogen is needed, no vacuum is needed. Its outstanding dehumidifying ability performs better than normal temperature dry cabinet and consumes way less energy compare to traditional oven. You can even connect this cabinet to the computer or use data logger & reader to record and monitor its humidity and temperature instantly; Helping you to carry out an easy and effective humidity and temperature quality assurance. With the baking 40℃ auto dry cabinet, you are able to bake the components whenever you wish to and store it in <5%RH condition when the baking is over. According to IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033B.1 table 7.1, in the condition of <5%RH, components have unlimited floor life. That means you are able to store your SMT components in this dry cabinet for an indefinitely period of time. You will not have to worry about your SMT components exceeding their floor life anymore.
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19. Do you sell a lot of baking 40ºC dry cabinet?
Many international electronic factories had already started using baking 40ºC auto dry cabinet to increase their production rate and quality.
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20. What is the working condition of baking 40ºC dry cabinet?
Baking 40ºC dry cabinet is suitable for ambient temperature of more than 15 degrees C.
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21. What is the benefit of the Dry Cabinet?
No need for moisture barrier bags, compressed air.
Suitable for compliance with IPC/JEDEC standard J-STD-033C.
Meter for internal humidity and temperature included.
No "off" time. The desiccant will always be absorbing moisture.
Fast recovery time after a door is opened
Accurate humidity display +/-3%RH
Prevents Micro-Cracking of IC Packages During Reflow.
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22. What is Micro-cracking?
Micro-cracking occurs in nearly 100% of IC packages containing moisture during the Reflow process. This results in the corrosion of printed circuits for an extended period of time causing breakage of wiring and other problems. Micro-cracking can be prevented with storage and dehumidification of IC’s using dry cabinet

Some IC Packages are only guaranteed for 24 hours after they have been removed from moisture barrier bags (MBBS). Outside of the MBB, IC packages absorb moisture from the atmosphere which can result in micro-cracking during the Reflow process. To prevent micro-cracking, moisture containing IC’s can be baked or stored in ultra-low humidity storage cabinets
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23. What is IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033?
IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033 details recommendations for handling, packing, shipping and use of moisture/reflow sensitive surface mount devices.

If moisture is absorbed from the environment by surface mounted components, and then the components are exposed to high temperatures, as in solder reflow ovens(convection, infrared, IR/convection, vapour phase, hot air rework tools), then the absorbed moisture will expand rapidly, causing internal device stress. The resulting stress can cause internal or external cracking, delamination, and internal corrosion.

Eliminate "popcorning" and micro-cracking of ICs and BGAs during reflow by using Active Desiccant dry cabinet, rather than high temperature baking.

Desiccant dry cabinets are an efficient, reliable and effective way to protect moisture- sensitive devices (MSDs) from ambient humidity during storage, preventing the difficult-to- detect moisture-related defects that can occur during reflow. Baking dry cabinets not only provide storage for moisture-sensitive devices but can safely restore the shelf life of moisture-sensitive devices that have been exposed, during shipping or storage, to ambient humidity.
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24. What is recommended RH for different products?
45-55%RH
Magnetic Diskettes, Magnetic Tapes, Cameras, Lenses, Video Camcorder,      Projector and Slides, Telescope, Photographs, Photonegatives, Audio Cassette  Tapes, Video Cassette Tapes, Calligraphy, Antique Paintings, Watercolor Paintings, Oil Paintings, Stamp Collection, Coin Collection, Antique Collectibles ,CDs, LD, Records, Engineering Drawing, Advertising  Mock-up, Leather, Receivers, etc…
35~45%RH
Sensitive Electronic Instruments, Electronic Devices, Measuring Devices, Semiconductors, Capacitor, Battery, Sensors, etc…
 
Below 35%RH
Medicine, samples, seeds, pollen, dried flowers ,spices, tea, coffee, snacks, dried food products ,etc…
Below 5%RH
Special chemicals, electronic components, etc…