Moisture Sensitive Level Overview#

Moisture Sensitivity Level (MSL) is a classification used in industries such as semiconductors to indicate how sensitive a packaged device is to moisture absorption.

Critical Manufacturing MES provides built-in support for MSL handling through the Material Logistics module, allowing teams to track and control floor life for moisture-sensitive materials and durables.

Why MSL Control Matters#

Moisture-sensitive semiconductor devices can absorb humidity from the environment. When those components are later exposed to high temperatures, such as during solder reflow, the absorbed moisture can expand rapidly and damage the package.

Some examples of the impact of poor MSL control include:

• Semiconductor manufacturing - packages may crack or delaminate during reflow, leading to yield loss and latent failures.
• Automotive electronics - long-term reliability can be affected in components used in safety-critical systems.
• Medical devices - moisture-related damage can cause unstable electrical behavior and compromise measurement accuracy.
• Consumer electronics - handling failures can increase early-life failures, returns, and warranty costs.

MSL handling is standardized mainly by:

• J-STD-020 - Moisture/Reflow Sensitivity Classification
• J-STD-033 - Handling, Packing, Shipping, and Use of Moisture/Reflow Sensitive Devices

Expiration Date and Floor Life#

The Expiration Date is the calculated deadline by which the material must be used after the package is opened. It is calculated from the MSD Open Date (Moisture Sensitive Device Open Date) and indicates when the component must be:

• assembled, or
• baked or otherwise treated before further use.

The relationship between the two concepts is:

• MSL defines the rule, meaning how much exposure time is allowed.
• Expiration Date defines the actual limit, meaning the specific date and time when the material expires.

In short, MSL is the policy, and the Expiration Date is the result of applying that policy to a real situation.

Standard MSL Values#

Critical Manufacturing MES includes standard industry MSL values out of the box. The higher the MSL number, the stricter the handling and storage requirements.

You can also review the standard values in the MoistureSensitivityLevel table.

Security Features#

On [[Administration > Security > Feature]], you can define permissions for the main floor life operations:

• Material.StartFloorLifeCounter
• Material.StopFloorLifeCounter
• Material.ResetFloorLife
• Material.Seal

These features are available on the Material Details page, Step View, and Resource View. For more information on security features, see Features.