Record a Humidity Indicator When Opening a Component Dry Pack

The humidity indicator inside a component dry pack is useful evidence only when its identity, interpretation, and observation time are clear. Once the bag is opened, the card is exposed to the room. A photograph taken much later can describe the opened card rather than the original storage condition.

Use the instructions for the supplied card

TI’s semiconductor packing report places the humidity indicator inside the sealed moisture-barrier bag as evidence of the low-humidity packing environment. The interpretation of individual indicators must follow the supplied card and applicable component-handling requirements; color conventions should not be guessed from memory.

Before opening, identify the component, quantity, bag label, seal condition, and packaging date information where supplied. Have the handling record ready so the exposure event and card observation can be recorded together. Keep the original reel or tray identity attached to this record if several packages arrive in one carton.

Make the opening observation reproducible

• Record opening time and the person performing the check.
• Identify the card type and read its printed interpretation instructions.
• Capture the relevant indicator areas promptly under usable lighting.
• Record the observation in words as well as retaining the image.
• Escalate an ambiguous or unacceptable indication through the approved handling procedure.

A photograph helps preserve context, but lighting, camera processing, and display settings can alter apparent color. If the observation is borderline, keep the uncertainty visible rather than selecting the more convenient interpretation. Do not discard the bag, card, and desiccant evidence before a packaging discrepancy is resolved.

Keep different moisture questions separate

A satisfactory opening check does not prove that parts can remain on the line indefinitely. Start or continue the component’s moisture-exposure record and follow its qualified handling route. Conversely, an unexpected card indication is a reason to investigate the dry-pack condition, not to improvise a bake temperature without reviewing package and carrier restrictions.

For example, a reel divided between two machines needs two subsequent exposure histories linked to the same opening evidence. The split-package handoff should preserve that relationship. Returning one portion to controlled storage cannot retrospectively change the history of the other portion. The useful record combines the opening observation, subsequent handling, and final disposition for each physical portion.