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Partnering October, 2023 What is ESD and Why is it Important? By Ed Balcerzak, National Sales Manager, UNITRON T
he invisible sparks gener- ated by electrostatic dis- charge (ESD) create minia-
ture fireworks shows all around us. ESD happens when one ob- ject — either a human or an elec- trically charged device — comes into contact with another charged object, such as electron- ic circuits or electrical compo- nents. The interaction between the two objects causes static charge to build up and release rapidly, resulting in a brief pulse of high-voltage electricity. In short, ESD is caused by
the buildup of static electricity. When materials come into contact and then separate, the result is an imbalance of positive and nega- tive charges. This is a process known as triboelectric charging. Triboelectric charging, also
known as triboelectrification, is a process in which some materi- als become electrically charged
due to frictional contact with a different material. This friction transfers electrons, depending on the relative electron affinity of each material, which then re- sults in ESD when either materi- al touches a conductive object. For instance, imagine walk-
ing across a carpet in a room with dry air while barefoot. The friction between your feet and the carpet causes a transfer from the carpet to your shoes, leaving the carpet positively charged and your shoes negatively charged. This means when you touch a conductive object with different electrical potential like a door- knob, the buildup of static elec- tricity in your feet moves toward the conductive object, creating a rapid electrical discharge. The higher the difference in
voltage potential between two ob- jects, the stronger the electric dis- charge upon contact between the
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two objects. While this may lead you to think that small differences in voltage potential aren’t a big deal, even those small differences can cause significant damage to sensitive electronics. Why? Be- cause these electronics are built to work with low voltage levels. While a mild shock caused
by ESD might be uncomfortable, it’s ultimately not a prob- lem for humans. Your elec- tronics, however, can have quite a different reaction to these rapid pulses of ener- gy. ESD has the potential to damage electronics, causing malfunctions and failures in sensitive compo- nents.
Impact of ESD Sensitive electronic cir-
do this is ensuring all objects have the same earth ground potential by connecting all conductive items to a single grounding point, keep- ing all objects at the same poten- tial for a stable path to discharge static.
Workers can also control
their exposure to ESD with grounding tools such as heel or
cuits and devices can incur devastating damage from ESD be- cause the super-small size of these components makes them more susceptible to damage, even with exposure to low voltages. For in- stance, circuit boards include in- tricate pathways and delicate components like capacitors, resis- tors and transistors. Since these components work with exception- ally small electrical signals and voltages, even tiny ESDs can cre- ate an electrical energy surge that exceeds tolerances. This vulnerability to ESD
The higher the difference in voltage potential between two objects, the stronger the electric discharge upon contact between the two objects. While this may lead you to think that small differences in voltage potential aren’t a big deal, even those small differences can cause significant damage to sensitive electronics.
wrist straps that establish a common ground when handling sensitive electronics. Likewise, using specific ESD equipment on an electronics workbench neu- tralizes charge by dissipating static electricity. Flooring, mats and shielding materials are also commonly used to prevent ESD. One example of ESD equip-
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occurs because the most at-risk components act like beacons for static electricity. Nearby ESD generates a rapid change in elec- tric fields, which the sensitive components pick up and propa- gate to other portions of the cir- cuit. This flow of unintended en- ergy disrupts normal circuit op- eration, causing electronics to malfunction or even stop work- ing. This occurs not only for end users, but also in the manufac- turing, assembly and mainte- nance processes when workers inadvertently touch or move cir- cuit boards without grounding or using ESD protection.
Preventing ESD An ESD control plan can help
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immensely in protecting valuable equipment investments. These plans comprehensively outline procedures for preventing, detect- ing, and mitigating risks of ESD during manufacture, handling, maintenance and use. One way to
ment common on electronics workbenches is ESD-safe micro- scopes. Designed with special materials and grounding capa- bilities, these microscopes pre- vent static charge buildup, pro- viding a controlled setting that lets technicians inspect, manipu- late and even repair electronics components without risking fur- ther damage. Because these mi- croscopes include conductive ma- terials and connections that transfer static charges into the ground, no triboelectric charging occurs, even when friction does. Understanding ESD can
help to prevent damage caused by these events. The easiest way to prevent these occurrences is by using proper ESD equipment and techniques. LX Microscopes by UNITRON feature a baked-on powder-coat finish and metal- laced paint for static dissipation, as well as 10 millimeter static grounding cables to reduce risks
for ESD events. Contact: UNITRON, Ltd.,
73 Mall Drive, Commack, NY 11725 % 631-543-2000 E-mail:
ed.balcerzak@
unitronusa.com Web:
www.unitronusa.com r
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