Titan Long Term Storage
Secure your supply, protect your programme
When you have invested in last-time buys, bare die, or critical stock for future builds, storage becomes a serious continuity issue. Sensitive semiconductors cannot simply be held in general warehousing conditions without introducing unnecessary risk over time. Moisture, atmospheric exposure, poor handling, and a lack of ongoing monitoring can all threaten the reliability of that inventory. For long-life programmes, the result can be wasted investment, supply uncertainty, and avoidable pressure later in the lifecycle. Protecting future supply depends on protecting the parts properly from day one.
Titan Long Term Storage is Force Technologies’ assured storage solution for electronic components and die. It combines controlled storage conditions, ongoing monitoring, traceability and configurable in-storage testing options to help protect critical inventory for long-life programmes.
Storage is tailored to the component format, whether assembled semiconductors, packages, lids or bare die, with tiered options that can be configured around testing or other requirements.
This gives you a controlled, dependable way to protect future supply without adding specialist storage and testing demands to your own team.
Why storage conditions matter
Semiconductor ICs are vulnerable to deterioration if they are not stored and monitored correctly, particularly over the long term. Exposure to oxygen can cause corrosion, and extended storage periods can increase the risk of intermetallic growth. If moisture is absorbed into a plastic package, the high temperatures used during solder reflow can cause trapped moisture to outgas, leading to delamination known as the “popcorn effect”.
ESD protection is equally important. Electrostatic discharge can cause immediate failure or latent defects that compromise long-term reliability. With the right storage approach, these risks can be controlled.
Titan Long Term Storage has been developed from Force Technologies’ experience in handling and assembling sensitive electronic components, and from a clear understanding of what customers need to keep critical inventory safe for the long term. It follows the guidance of JEDEC JEP160A for long-term storage of electronic devices and die.
The Titan Building
The Titan Building is Force Technologies’ purpose-built facility for secure storage of sensitive electronic components. Within this ESD-secure building is an array of nitrogen storage cabinets. Each cabinet is made of antistatic material and is nitrogen purged to ensure an inert atmosphere. Each chamber is controlled to ensure a relative humidity of between 7–30%, and a stable temperature between 15 and 28°C. These environmental conditions are continually monitored and logged to an external database, providing traceability records in line with AS9100 Rev D.
Within the cabinets, bare die or components are stored following JEDEC guidance. That includes:
- A nitrogen purged moisture barrier bag (MBB)
- A desiccant to absorb any residual moisture
- Humidity indicator cards placed within the MBB to show whether the relative humidity has exceeded the necessary value
- ESD protection, such as conductive foam, antistatic bags or conductive trays
Bags are then labelled with all necessary information.
These measures form the foundation of Titan Long Term Storage for every component held by Force Technologies. We then work with you to understand your storage requirements and identify the most suitable option for your programme, taking into account the material being stored, end use, duration, risk profile and future call-off needs.
Titan Long Term Storage tiers
| Process stage | Titan Storage Lite | Titan Storage Standard | Titan Storage Plus+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrival checks | |||
| Verification of documentation supplied with components or die | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Inspection of packaging and components or die on arrival to establish a baseline for comparison | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Incoming parametric electrical test on arrival to establish a baseline for comparison | — | — | ✓ |
| In-storage monitoring | |||
| Temperature and humidity logged 24/7/365 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Periodic visual, solderability and DPA testing | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Periodic electrical testing | — | — | ✓ |
| Call off | |||
| Scheduled call off of components | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Unscheduled call off of components included | — | — | ✓ |
| Documentation and despatch | |||
| Arrival and departure assessment and Certificate of Conformity for parts and storage provided | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| All solderability, parametric and electrical testing results provided | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Expedited despatch | — | — | ✓ |
| Cover | |||
| Insurance for 100% of component value | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Each storage option is configured to your specific requirements around testing, documentation, call-off and insured value.
Configure your IC storage requirements
Find out more about Long Term Storage
Resources
Further reading on long-term semiconductor storage
Frequently asked questions
Can long-term storage support obsolescence mitigation strategies like last time buys?
Yes, secure long-term storage is a critical enabler of successful last time buy strategies. When a component is going end-of-life, buyers can purchase and store enough stock to cover their system lifecycle needs. Our long-term storage service ensures parts are preserved in a stable, monitored environment, eliminating risks associated with shelf degradation or uncontrolled warehousing.
Why store semiconductor die offsite with a third party?
Semiconductor die need very careful handling. Key considerations include: controlling moisture in the atmosphere; maintaining an inert environment with stable temperature and humidity to reduce the risk of intermetallic growths; suitable antistatic procedures and equipment to avoid ESD damage; and trained personnel with the knowledge and equipment to periodically test and monitor stock.
How long can semiconductors be stored for?
By following the correct storage guidelines such as J-STD-033 D/JEP 160, components can be stored for 20 years or more. Routine inspection and electrical testing can verify there has been no degradation of devices in storage that would impact the target application.
What precautions do you take when storing components for the long term?
We follow J-STD-033 D and JEP 160 guidance. Components are handled by trained ESD-safe personnel, stored in vacuum sealed nitrogen purged moisture barrier bags within antistatic nitrogen purged cabinets, housed in our purpose-built temperature and humidity controlled ESD-safe Titan building. Environmental conditions are continually monitored and components are tested periodically.
What is the popcorn effect?
As a part outgasses during high temperature reflow, moisture internally within a component can shatter the plastic packaging. This is one reason why control of humidity and moisture matters before devices enter board level assembly.
Secure your supply chain for the long term
Whether you’re storing bare die, assembled components or last-time buy stock, our team can help you find the right Titan Long Term Storage configuration for your programme.