The Truth About 11 Myths of Electrostatic Discharge

The Truth About 11 Myths of Electrostatic Discharge

Would it surprise you to know that a good portion of our modern world would be unable to function without the help of electrostatic discharges (ESD’s)? No one seems to know quite how it happened, but in 1984, Scott M. Kunen applied for a patent for a “touch controlled...
Building an Electrostatic Protected Area (EPA)

Building an Electrostatic Protected Area (EPA)

Almost everyone’s familiar with the image of a white “cleanroom” or “bunny suit.” They show up in just about every depiction of people working in computer facilities in popular entertainment, and it’s a highly sought after specialty ‘armor’ in the video game Fallout...

ESD: Grounding, Isolation & Prevention

We’ve all had it happen. We’re opening our car door on a cold day, or we’ve just shuffled in our socks to the door and the moment we reach out, pop! A small snap of static electricity reminds us that we’re alive. Think back to when you were a kid – your dad or uncle...
Common Sources of ESD Damage You May Have Overlooked

Common Sources of ESD Damage You May Have Overlooked

As we’ve talked about previously, often the sources of static electricity go completely unnoticed. This is because we humans can’t even detect a static charge until it gets up to about 3,000 volts. The problem is that sensitive electronics can be damaged...

We don't need no stinking wrist straps, do we?

Q: I have read the White Paper 1: A Case for Lowering Component Level HBM/MM ESD Specifications and Requirements and found the ESD Control Programs and Resulting Data (Chapter 1, Page 20-23) particularly interesting. Assuming a production environment with ESD...