ESD - ANTISTATIC

Why is antistatic important?

The abbreviation ESD stands for Electrostatic discharge. ESD occurs when insulating materials are rubbed or pulled apart. This happens, for example, in the following daily activities:

For a person to perceive an electrostatic discharge, its value must be above 3000 V. However, a discharge with a value of 35 V is enough to destroy the latest types of semiconductor components.

Although electrostatic discharge is usually completely harmless to humans, it is now one of the biggest problems in electronics manufacturing. If this aspect is neglected, it can lead to serious quality problems and associated repair costs, reputation damage and loss of customers.

Terminology in Czech

ESD = ElectrostaticDischarge = Elektrostatický výboj
ESDS = Electrostatic Sensitive Device = Součástka citlivá na elektrostatický výboj
EPA = ElectrostaticProtected Area = Oblast pro manipulaci se součástkami citlivými naelektrostatický výboj
Ionizer = Ionizátor = Zařízení pro generování kladných a záporných iontů. V elektrotechnice nejčastěji na hodnotu kolem ± 0V
C = Conductive = Vodivý materiál s povrchovou rezistivitou 1x10² až <1x10⁵ Ohm
D = Dissipative = Disipativní materiál povrchovou rezistivitou 1x10⁵ až <1x10¹¹ Ohm
S = Shielding = Stínící materiál s bariérou proti průniku ESD
Rg = Groundingrezistance = Odpor vůči elektrické zemi
Rp – Rp = Rezistance Point to Point = Odpor měřený mezi dvěma body

If you are implementing measures in ESD, do not hesitate to contact us:

Personal consultation, requirement determination and concept design
Design of suitable EPA equipment
Installation of delivered products
Creation of an ESD directive
Staff training up to ESD coordinator level
Entry and exit audits

EPA INSTALLATION

Equipment parts

EPA is the English abbreviation of Electrostatic Protected Area, which in Czech means an area reserved for handling sensitive components.

What must the EPA area contain and how should personnel be grounded?

An area for handling sensitive components can be considered a single workbench, a room or an entire production hall.

According to the ČSN 61340 standard, the basis for eliminating electrostatic discharge is a grounded work surface, grounded personnel and antistatic packaging.

An important element of the EPA is the entrance itself, which must be properly marked. Thanks to the visibly placed EPA marking, personnel are warned in time that they are entering a zone for handling sensitive components. Before entering the zone, there is also a bracelet and shoe tester, possibly in combination with a turnstile for the daily verification of bracelets and antistatic shoes.

A grounded work surface is any surface on which an electrostatic discharge-sensitive component is processed or deposited. Such a surface can be a table top, a shelf, a bookcase, and so on.

Personnel can ground themselves in two ways. Grounding via an antistatic wristband is always used for seated work. When working while standing, it is possible to ground yourself by wearing high-quality ESD shoes or by using an antistatic wristband.

The ESD floor is also used to ground other equipment. Mainly ESD trolleys for transporting material and ESD chairs.

Additional equipment

For the safe storage of sensitive components, we work with ESD packaging, which we divide according to use inside the EPA and outside the EPA. Among the most well-known packaging materials inside the EPA is the antistatic dissipative bag. Outside the EPA, a shielding bag can be used, which has a barrier preventing the ingress of electrostatic discharge.

Additional equipment certainly includes ESD clothes, which are made of high-quality antistatic materials and are supplemented with conductive fiber.

Another integral part of the correct equipment of EPA workplaces are work aids, for example brushes, tweezers, screwdrivers and others. Among the office accessories, we include antistatic files, foils and other ESD supplies that meet the more demanding requirements for higher quality materials. EPA premises must be kept clean and gently treated with suitable cleaning products, for example an ESD broom with a shovel, a vacuum cleaner, trash cans and chemicals for cleaning.

How we secure

Where we use plastic material for work, for example plastic covers or plastic components, and the charge cannot be brought down by a standard earthing route, we use an ionizer to eliminate the charge, which balances the positive and negative ions in the electrical industry to a value of around 0 V.

We must regularly check the area for handling sensitive components with measuring devices. We check the grounding of people, work surfaces, floors, chairs, clothing and all necessities that can be grounded by a standard grounding route through the building's grounding with a resistance meter and the electrostatic field with a fieldmeter.

In the complete implementation of the EPA, we proceed as follows:

Consultation with the customer and a tour of the place of implementation
Design of solutions for building modifications, grounding of workers, work surfaces, packaging, testing of people, etc.
EPA proposal, project creation and quotation
Approval of the project and offer
Communication with the customer during building modifications, proposal for the preparation of grounding of floors and work areas
Installation of ESD equipment
ESD audit and report issuance

In addition to complete EPA implementation, we install:

ESD TRAINING AND AUDITS

ESD training

We offer professional antistatic courses according to ČSN EN 61340 and ANSI/ESD 20.20 standards.

For ESD operators

The training for ESD operators includes theoretical and practical demonstrations that will help production workers better understand ESD issues. After completing the training, they will be able to follow the basic rules when working with components against electrostatic discharge and move safely around the EPA workplace. The scope of the training is about 2 hours.

For ESD coordinators

The training for ESD coordinators is a comprehensive guide to understanding ESD terminology, knowledge of EPA standards and equipment. The training is also suitable for management, technologists, production managers, for the quality department, control, etc. Part of the training of ESD coordinators is the practical measurement of EPA equipment (ESD audit). The usual scope of the training is 4-6 hours, but it is possible to adapt the training in time and extend it to a 1-2 day training with regard to the necessary addition of education.

Location and cost of training

We conduct ESD training for operators and coordinators either at our company headquarters or directly at your place. However, for practical reasons, it is better to use your EPA workplace directly.

We will be happy to prepare a price offer for you, which depends on the scope of the training, the number of participants and travel costs.

ESD audit

In other words, the inspection of areas for handling sensitive components. EPA space, which must be regularly checked in order to comply with the ČSN EN 61340-5-1 ed.2 standard. If you are lost in regulations and standards, we can advise you. We perform entry audits for EPA design and equipment additions.

All measurements are carried out with calibrated measuring devices, according to the standards of the ČSN EN 61340 series, they are documented and then evaluated. Additionally, an audit report on electrostatic protection is issued.

We will be happy to prepare a price quote for you, which depends on the size of the EPA and travel costs.

During the audit, we verify:

Legislation (guidelines, training, minutes from bracelet and shoe testers)
ESD floors
The person-shoe-floor system
Walking Test
ESD bracelet-person system
Work surfaces, shelves, racks, carts and chairs

Our trainers and auditors have many years of practice and experience in the field of ESD. We will prove expertise and competence with the ESD Control for Electronics Assembly certificate, issued by the company IPC Training Center | Member of the ESD Association for Central Europe.