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An ECIA Knowledge Document
Managing Date Code Restrictions on Orders for Electronic Components

GIPC #101
June, 2023
Supersedes NEDA document published December, 2002

GIPC
Global Industry
Practices Committee

NOTICE

ECIA Knowledge Documents are designed to serve the public interest through eliminating
misunderstandings between manufacturers and purchasers, facilitating interchangeability
and improvement of products, and assisting the purchaser in selecting and obtaining withminimum delay the proper product for his particular need. Existence of such documents
shall not in any respect preclude any member or nonmember of ECIA from manufacturing
or selling products not conforming to the documents, nor shall the existence of such
documents preclude their voluntary use by those other than ECIA members, whether thedocument is to be used either domestically or internationally.

ECIA does not assume any liability to any patent owner, nor does it assume any obligation
whatever to parties adopting the Document.

This Document does not purport to address all safety problems associated with its use or
all applicable regulatory requirements. It is the responsibility of the user of this Document
to establish appropriate safety and health practices and to determine the applicability ofregulatory limitations before its use.

This ECIA Knowledge Document was formulated under the cognizance of the Soldering
Technology Committee.

Published by©Electronic Components Industry Association 2023
310 Maxwell Road
Suite 200
Alpharetta, GA 30009

Managing Date Code Restrictions on Orders for Electronic Components
Introduction:
ECIA members, electronic component manufacturers and distributors recommend
electronic component customers avoid the specification of general date code
restrictions when ordering electronic components from electronic component
manufacturers and their authoried distributors. The following knowledge document has
been prepared as the result of a cooperative effort between electronic component
manufacturers and their authorized distributors.
Background:Histrorically, some electronic component customers have expressed concerns that after
a period of time, electronic components are no longer “fresh” and appropriate for use inelectronic products. Forty years ago, there may have been some truth to thisperception. However, the last four decades of process improvements by electronic
component manufacturers have all but eliminated the causes of failure mechanisms
related to component age concerns. For example, prior to 1995 the military specification
MIL-PRF38535 (section 3.10) required a military part be re-tested if not used within
three years of the marked date code and after extensive study, this military specification
was revised to remove date code restrictions altogether. The revised version simplystates that product must be “solderable upon delivery”. MIL-PRF-19500P now prohibits
date code restrictions on military component orders (section 6.2.i). The origin of manycustomer date code specifications may be attributed to this now revised military
standard and have no factual or empirical basis.
General date code restrictions unnecessarily delay the order entry process and delay
the order fulfillment process, resulting in delayed service to the customer. General datecode restrictions result in further aging inventory in the supply chain by disrupting
normal FIFO (First-In First-Out) consumption. Unnecessary date code restrictions also
add non-value added costs to every step of the supply chain - for component
manufacturers, distributors and for end customers.
Electrical Characteristic Changes/Solderability Degradation:
Due to the advances made in the engineering, design, manufacturing technology,
handling, and storage, general date code restrictions are not justified. Component age
does not adversely affect component performance to the manufacturers specification.
The product inventoried by component manufacturers and their authorized distributors
using manufacturer and ECIA guidelines for packaging and handling will meet thecomponent manufacturers electrical and solderability specifications. Manufacturers
have supporting data available and component warranties are not affected by the age ofcomponents at the time of sale.

Managing Exceptions:Reasonable exceptions may include:
1. Application sensitivity to specific date codes where the customer’s productdesign has been found to be intolerant of lot specific electrical characteristic
variations of parts which are still operating within the manufacturer'sspecifications.
2. Suspected component variation issues which have been identified by a customer
but not yet confirmed by the manufacturer. Customers may ask the distributor to
select other date codes to support test of immediate production requirements.
3. Specific technical requirements.
Customers who request specific date code restrictions should have a technical basis forthe restriction to help manufacturers and distributors make informed decisions oninventory management.
Electronic component manufacturers and distributors are willing to help customers
manage these types of exceptions on an individual basis. However, establishingbroader date code restrictions to accommodate specific technical issues truly becomescounter productive.
Customers may also encounter associated costs and shipment delays.
Recommendations:
1. The ECIA member component manufacturers and their authorized distributors
recommend that general date code restrictions be eliminated from purchase order
requirements for electronic components.
2. ECIA members also recommend that customers purchase electronic components
from electronic component manufacturers and authorized distributors who willassure that:a. Packaging, packaging shelf life, and storage requirements are understood andcomplied with.
b. Product warrantees will be supported.
c. Product change notices are distributed and complied with – including productrecalls, quality alerts, and packaging changes.
d. Reports of specific component issues by customers will be reported tomanufacturers and suspect stock will be appropriately quarantined.
e. Order management processes will provide for appropriate review, quoting andconformance to customer specified date code restrictions.