Standards Development

Scope

This standard defines the date format, for example, for the production date, test date, packaging date or requalification date, as the so-called date code of individual electronic components. Examples of the Date Code application: FiFo / FeFo (First in fir st out / First expiry first out) based on the date code in warehousing, inventories / inventory valuation, management of customer -specific date code limits, expiration date/expiry date, extended-shelf-life products, control of production / engineering changes.

Purpose

Many manufacturers of electronic components use encrypted systems for their production data, which cannot be interpreted correctly or incorrectly without decryption keys and tables.

The product date code is a very important piece of information and must be correct.

The dimension of the problem: In principle, electronic components distributors sell the entire product range of all manufacturers and deliver to every industrial customer all over the world. Distributors and end customers must therefore manage the Date Code keys of all manufacturers and keep them constantly up to date. Interpretation and decryption are enormously time -consuming and confusing for everyone involved in the supply chain – as a result, errors are constantly happening.

Manufacturers should have an interest in making their products easy to identify, process and sell correctly. In the case of age-prone products, product changes, quality problems and recalls (product liability), it is important that all parties involved wit hin the supply chain can identify affected products quickly, easily and correctly.

Third-party manufacturers/foundries would not have to deal with manufacturer -specific specifications for marking products and packaging with date codes – the problem would be universally solved for all market participants.

For the reasons mentioned above, a standard for the specification of date codes for electronic components would be a significant relief for the entire, global electronics industry, would increase security and data integrity in the supply chain, and would s imply solve a problem that has existed for decades.