A humidity indicator\u2014HIC, by humidity indicator card<\/em>\u2014 is a card with reactive dots that is sealed inside the packaging along with the component. If the humidity inside the bag rises above a threshold, the dot changes color and There's no going back.<\/strong>.<\/p> It serves one very specific purpose: to know, before opening the package, whether the component is still usable or if it needs to be baked. Without that information, the decision is made blindly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n The points are calibrated to percentages of relative humidity. It is read the point with the highest percentage change<\/strong>That is the level to which the content was exposed.<\/p> The change is irreversible, and therein lies its value: the indicator doesn't say how the packaging is now, it says where it passed<\/strong>. A package that was left in a yard for three days and then cooled down again looks the same as one that never left the warehouse; the indicator is what distinguishes them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Each moisture-sensitive component brings a MSL level<\/strong> assigned according to IPC\/JEDEC J-STD-020<\/strong>. That number tells you how long it can stay out of the sealed packaging before it needs to be baked. It's a useful chart to keep handy:<\/p> From level 2a to 6, the reference condition is \u226430 \u00b0C and 60% relative humidity<\/strong>.<\/p> The clock starts ticking when the bag is opened, not when the material arrives. An MSL 3 opened on a Monday expires the following Monday; an MSL 5a lasts one shift. That's why the indicator and the opening log go hand in hand: without knowing when it was opened and what condition it was in, the MSL level is useless data.<\/p> The standard that defines handling\u2014storage, transport, when to bake and how to reseal\u2014is IPC\/JEDEC J-STD-033<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Have line indicators in different ranges and presentations<\/strong>, and we also work under specification<\/strong>: if your internal regulations or your client require a specific configuration of points, it is quoted.<\/p> They can be ordered in two ways:<\/p> They are used in electronics to protect semiconductors and integrated circuits, in the storage of SMT components, and in laboratories or research centers where the custodial status must be certified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n This is the most common mistake: buying indicators and putting them in any old bag. The indicator is the witness<\/em> of the system, not the system itself. For it to work, four things are needed together:<\/p> All four are ordered together in ESD consumables<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Tell us the MSL level of your components, the package size and the expected storage time, and we will suggest the appropriate combination of bag, desiccant and indicator. Contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n The indicator warns, it doesn't correct. If the high point has changed, there are three steps, and none are skipped:<\/p> The 3, 4, and 6-point Humidity Indicator Cards (HICs) are in the SBC Store packaging consumables<\/a>, For example, the 3-point HIC<\/a> and the 6-point HIC<\/a>, Price per unit, VAT included, and shipping throughout Mexico. desiccant<\/a> and the barrier bags<\/a> They are in the same store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n What does it mean for a component to be MSL 3?<\/strong> Can the indicator be reused?<\/strong> What happens if I install a component with the indicator changed?<\/strong> Does it work for assembled boards, not just for loose components?<\/strong> Do they handle special configurations?<\/strong> Do they sell just the indicator or the complete package?<\/strong> Where do they deliver?<\/strong> This is the most common problem and it has a solution: it's baked according to J-STD-033 and resealed. Send us the part number and MSL level and we'll tell you the drying time and what can be recovered. Contact us<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":442,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-438","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sbcgroup.com.mx\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sbcgroup.com.mx\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sbcgroup.com.mx\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbcgroup.com.mx\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbcgroup.com.mx\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=438"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/sbcgroup.com.mx\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/438\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2548,"href":"https:\/\/sbcgroup.com.mx\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/438\/revisions\/2548"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbcgroup.com.mx\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/442"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sbcgroup.com.mx\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}How to read an indicator<\/h2>\n
The MSL level: how much can be outside the packaging<\/h2>\n
What we handle<\/h2>\n
The indicator alone does not protect anything.<\/h2>\n
Request a quote for the consumable or the complete packaging<\/h3>
What to do when the indicator shows exposure<\/h2>\n
Buy humidity indicators online<\/h2>\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
That may be outside the sealed packaging 168 hours<\/strong> \u2014seven days\u2014 at 30\u00b0C and 601% relative humidity before baking is required. The timer starts when the bag is opened.<\/p>
No. The color change is irreversible, and that's precisely what makes it reliable. It's replenished every time the package is resealed.<\/p>
The risk is internal delamination of the encapsulation during reflow. The defect is not visible, passes visual inspection, and only appears later in the field as an intermittent failure.<\/p>
Yes. A stored PCBA also absorbs moisture, and before reworking it, it must be dried, for the same reason.<\/p>
Yes. We have line indicators in various ranges and presentations, and we work to specification when a specific configuration is needed.<\/p>
Both: the loose consumable, or the complete sealed package as a service.<\/p>
From Guadalajara (Tlaquepaque, Jalisco) and Quer\u00e9taro (El Colorado). Both plants provide national coverage and we can export.<\/p>Do you have components with the indicator already changed?<\/h3>