How to store SMD
How to store SMD
(OP)
What is your favorite way to organize/store surface mount parts after they come off the reel? In past lives the technicians always came up with novel storage techniques of various plastic bins and trays but I never knew where they found them.
I want to organize our engineering stock of passive parts (resistors, caps, etc.). Non-anti-static is acceptable, but anti-static will be nicer for storing active parts too.
What's on your shelf?
I want to organize our engineering stock of passive parts (resistors, caps, etc.). Non-anti-static is acceptable, but anti-static will be nicer for storing active parts too.
What's on your shelf?





RE: How to store SMD
I have a cardboard box with the top flaps cut off.
I just stick the resistors into box in Value Order You know the Zero Ohm jumpers first then work my way up to the 20M Ohms.
They are in whatever form they came in. Generally thin plastic bags Ah-La Digikey type bags or purloined stiff static bags.
I just finger flip thru them until I find(or not)the value I'm after.
Oh! I handle the box very gently..
Same with caps.
Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.- <http://www.flaminsystems.com>
RE: How to store SMD
What I would like to use, and have used in the past are small glass vials with plastic lids. They can be bought in quantities over the web. Choose a vial that has smooth sides - i.e. no lip. The lids fit snugly in the open end.
However, there is never time to organize, so like 'itsmoked' components sit in drawers of a Stanely/vidmar cabinet in their digikey or mouser envelopes. At least they are in sequence by value.
RE: How to store SMD
I see Garrett has L&A brand (wwww.lacons.com) containers with some interesting variations.
I also like your point of smooth sides - I've used containers with lips in the past and had to shake the container hard enough to get one part out that I'd either get zero or seven!
One thing I've used in the past (for 1/8W thru hole resistors) is a binder full of business card holder pages. That kept things fairly organized. With unmarked cut-tape packaging I want to move to something a bit more secure though where the parts can't leak or fall out when I move the container.
Hmm, I bet 35-mm film containers would work pretty well too.
At this point I've seen a lot of container options. Does anybody know of a source for trays to hold the containers?
RE: How to store SMD
Such vials are good for storing the loose parts that are removed from the carrier tape. However, the parts sometimes do tend to stick slightly on the sides of the vials. If you have a cabinet in which you would keep the vials, pick a vial size that best stacks in your cabinet.
RE: How to store SMD
RE: How to store SMD
RE: How to store SMD
Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.- http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: How to store SMD
So here's my bin system. Quick, and no mess. I've put a tweezer in one so one can imagine the size of the bins. The bins interlock to build 2D arrays of any size to fit a into a drawer.
Has anyone seen something like this?
Felixc
RE: How to store SMD
Those do look great. Are they static protected? Can you take the 2D as far as desired?
Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.- http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: How to store SMD
Felixc
RE: How to store SMD
Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.- http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: How to store SMD
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Oh and here's another:
http://psinter.com/?sub=128
You figure out how to buy them.
Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.- http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: How to store SMD
http://ww
http://ww
Okay so I'm bored at the moment. :)
Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.- http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: How to store SMD
RE: How to store SMD
Really bored?
HEY! I didn't ask a question then come back and answer it.. Did I? Nope! I checked!
Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.- http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: How to store SMD
Some of those other links look close to Felix's solution so that might be getting close too...
Thanks all!
RE: How to store SMD
Now, how to buy from these guys!
Felixc
RE: How to store SMD
Dan
Owner
http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com