Stretching the capability of intel direct material usability (shelf life)

Fluctuating global economic trends impact product demand, which in turn impact assembly materials volume and inventory levels in the factories leading to excessive materials scrap due to shelf life expiry during demand downturns. Therefore, the need to drive for assembly direct materials shelf life extension has become a critical focus area to improve materials inventory management. This paper describes an approach to extend the shelf life of assembly direct materials (epoxy underfill and Flip Chip Ball Grid Array (FCBGA) substrate materials) to minimize the impact of dynamic volume changes on materials scrap and provide flexibility plus cost savings in managing materials inventory. 33% scrap rate reduction was achieved for underfill and significant cost savings were realized for FCBGA substrates.