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Regularly I buy ICs from China so I know there can be differences in shipping. Mostly ICs are sent in either plastic IC storage tubes, and mostly stuck on foam. However, today I got them without any protection like this. I got one extra, but as can be seen at least 3 are quite badly bent. Although it seems bad, after straightening them with some pliers I could easily put them in a breadboard and after removing them from the breadboard they look more or less straight.

I am just wondering about the implications of bending (the only thing I can think of is because they have been bent, they might break when the legs are bent again I will prevent of course), but maybe I can get in trouble:

  1. When soldering them?
  2. Less conductivity?
  3. Heating problems?
  4. Anything else?

enter image description here

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    \$\begingroup\$ The tin-plated steel is good for 1 bend cycle then very brittle,, indicates handling was poor and expect possible ESD wounds ( leakage) \$\endgroup\$
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Mar 28, 2019 at 23:39
  • \$\begingroup\$ @SunnyskyguyEE75 Thanks for the remark about ESD. \$\endgroup\$
    – Michel Keijzers
    Mar 29, 2019 at 0:40
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    \$\begingroup\$ I would hesitate to plug these chips into sockets, maybe not even into breadboards. Probably OK to solder. If a pin breaks while soldering, its toast anyway - attack it with snips to remove already-soldered legs. Not likely a problem regarding conductivity, but heat conductivity might be compromised. \$\endgroup\$
    – glen_geek
    Mar 29, 2019 at 0:41
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    \$\begingroup\$ From your photo, these pins might break away where they neck-down from the fat lead-frame to the skinny pin. If they break right at the epoxy (been there), its toast. Otherwise, if its a precious one-only chip, you can solder on a replacement pin from a resistor lead, or a #24 wire to the fat stub (been there too). \$\endgroup\$
    – glen_geek
    Mar 29, 2019 at 0:49
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    \$\begingroup\$ This IC tool is what you want. That one is maybe 45 yrs old and cost me a couple of dollars then (250ppm of a typical new car.) Excelta makes something kind of similar, but closer to 6000ppm of a new car now.) (US referenced, granted.) \$\endgroup\$
    – jonk
    Mar 29, 2019 at 5:14

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In my experience, the only problem would be a weakening of the pin where it was bent - this may lead to the pin breaking at that point if it is bent back and forth several times. As long as the pin doesn't break off, the part should work.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Good to see that (and easy to verify when it happens). \$\endgroup\$
    – Michel Keijzers
    Mar 29, 2019 at 0:41
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    \$\begingroup\$ The tolerance to bending depends on quality/malleability of alloy used for pins. Some junk ICs break off (or develop visible cracks) after one cycle... However, if covered with solder, they should work for a prototype. \$\endgroup\$
    – Ale..chenski
    Mar 29, 2019 at 0:56

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