The formation of semiconductors is no small undertaking and must be handled with the utmost care and precautions put in place. Semiconductor shipping is no different, as vibrations from the truck, excessive heat, cold or moisture can utterly ruin this expensive yet crucial component that goes inside many electronic devices. Whether you’re a first-time shipper or even if you have some experience, you’ll have to find an answer on how to ship semiconductors the correct way.
Semiconductor shipping on its face is not easy yet also not a tough concept to grasp. Semiconductors need to be carefully packaged for shipping to protect the cargo from vibrations, temperature fluctuations, and moisture. Also, you’ll need to find an experienced and excellent freight company that realizes how imperative it is to be careful and provide a spotless environment.
Without getting too far into the weeds — because the way semiconductors work is scientifically complicated — we’ll lay out the most basic description of what a semiconductor is and what it does. A semiconductor is a component that allows other components within an electronic device to function by acting as a fabricator. In many cases, the semiconductor is thought of as the “brain” of the device, directing the other pieces to do their specific jobs.
Everyday items such as computers, TVs, smartphones, radios and even diagnostic equipment in the medical field utilize semiconductors and wouldn’t be able to operate without them otherwise. But their usage and effect doesn’t end there. The military, healthcare and transportation industries all employ semiconductors with their electronics.
Although semiconductors can range in size, many of them are in microchip form and made from pure silicon. Samsung and Intel are the two largest producers of semiconductors in the world, which is no surprise since those two companies have a large foothold in the mobile phones and computing fields.
One of the reasons semiconductors are prized for this type of usage is they’re able to be easily manipulated during the manufacturing process. Adding even a small amount of an impurity will vastly alter how conductive the product is.
The first thing that needs to be addressed in the shipping of semiconductors is the freight’s fragility. This is often extremely expensive equipment that can become worthless in a moment if it is not created, packaged and shipped in a clean environment free of any dust or dirt that could compromise the effectiveness of the semiconductor.
In fact, a cleanroom is where semiconductors are built for this sterile environment and these electronic components leave the room in special plastic boxes so that they’re not damaged or dirty before they are even tested before packaging.
Your business will have to have special packaging materials for each different kind of semiconductor you produce since there will not be a “one-size-fits-all” solution. For instance semiconductor wafers are best transported in horizontal wafer shippers. These trays or other packaging materials are made out of specialized polymers
However, no matter the precautions you take to shield your semiconductors, you’ll need to align yourself with a freight shipping company that shares your vision on how your goods should be handled. It might be worth it to go over a plan with the provider and agree on the best course of action.
This isn’t the kind of thing you’ll want to leave to a company that doesn’t have a vast amount of knowledge in this arena. The stakes are a bit too high and the loss you could incur due to negligence during transport could result in a big financial hit to your company. In fact, making sure the workers who will be loading and unloading this shipment are well-trained is a good idea and even certified in certain ways — an Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) certification might even be helpful since semiconductors can also be damaged by static electricity.
In this regard, you should also make sure the freight company you go with has proper insurance and also is a financially sound enterprise that has the resources to make things right if something goes wrong.
Now that you know about the intricacies surrounding the transport of these electronic components, turn to R+L Global Logistics to handle your semiconductor shipping. We understand exactly how exacting this type of freight hauling is and have the resources and professionals available to do it the right way.
R+L Global Logistics understands that excessive temperature, moisture or even vibration can ruin your shipment of semiconductors and offers its white glove service to ease your mind. This type of shipment will emphasize appropriately cautious handling and an individualized level of service that is unmatched in the trucking industry.
Now that you can feel confident that R+L Global Logistics can get your goods to their destination in one piece, what about getting it there in a timely manner? With our 99.5 percent on-time delivery rate, you can rest assured that your semiconductors will get where they need to go in the agreed-upon amount of time.
With additional perks like outstanding customer service and real-time freight visibility so you know where your shipment is at all times included at no additional cost, it is clear that R+L Global Logistics will not only take care of your shipment, but you as our customer.
R+L Global Logistics can also offer even faster transport with our expedited shipping service. Depending on the length of the trip and the kind of freight being moved, it can lop 1-2 days off a long-distance journey across the country. While this service is at an additional cost, it can really help out if time is of the essence.
So now that you’re ready to have your semiconductor shipping undertaken, contact R+L Global Logistics to get the process started. For a free quote with no obligations, give us a call at 866.353.7178.
R+L Global Logistics
315 NE 14th St., Ocala, FL 34470