Think Of Static Electricity as Germs and Contamination!
Daily life has other examples of hidden enemies where careful procedures must be followed to regularly obtain positive results. One example is sterilization, which combats germs and contamination in hospitals.
Damage caused by invisible and undetectable events can be understood by comparing ESD damage to medical contamination of the human body by viruses or bacteria. Although invisible, they can cause severe damage. In hospitals, the defense against this invisible threat is extensive contamination control procedures including sterilization.
We are aware of the benefits of sterilization in medicine. We must develop the same attitude towards ESD control and “sterilize” against its contamination. Just as you would never consider having surgery in a contaminated operating room, you should never handle, assemble, or repair electronic assemblies without taking adequate measures against ESD. For the hospital to sterilize most of the instruments is not acceptable; actually it may waste money. Each and every instrument needs to be sterilized. Likewise, it is not acceptable to protect the ESD sensitive items most of the time. Effective ESD control must occur at each and every step where ESDS items are manufactured, processed, assembled, installed, packaged, labeled, serviced, tested, inspected, transported, or otherwise handled.
The Operator’s Role in Controlling ESD
In order for the ESD control program to be effective, operators must be aware of the threat of ESD, and understand and adhere to the rules of controlling static electricity, and how to properly use ESD Protected Area (EPA) ESD control items.
ESD control items are ESD protective products that have been specially formulated to possess at least one of the following ESD control properties:
1) low charging (antistatic) – refers to the property of a material that inhibits triboelectric charging.
2) resistance (conductive or dissipative) – able to be grounded
3) shielding – based on a the Faraday Cage concept and creates an enclosure that attenuates a stationary electrostatic field.
These products should be identified by the ESD Protective Symbol. Note: the ESD Protective Symbol has an arc while the ESD Susceptibility Symbol does not.
The ESD Protective Symbol identifies products designed to provide ESD control protection.
For more information on ESD Control and ESD Control products, visit Desco.com
This is the fifth in a series of blogs concerning the Basics of ESD. Be sure to sign up for our blog to follow the series.