ESD Qualification Levels and Factory Control Methods

As the architecture of electronics changes so too will the requirements for ESD control.  With the ever increasing demand for faster, lighter, and smaller (and more expensive in some cases) electronics the requirements for protecting these new devices from ESD events becomes even more critical.

In Charvaka Duvvury & Harald Gossner’s article “ESD target levels: Impacting ESD from components to systems” on EDN Network they note:

The industry’s original ESD qualification requirements were established some 35 years ago, and their relevance has progressively diminished due to a number of changing factors. These include, on the one hand, the much-improved factory control methods and, on the other hand, the ever increasing demand for higher performance circuits with a low tolerance of loading capacitance from ESD networks.

Desco has, over the past 30 years, designed and manufactured products that have contributed to “much-improved factory control methods” but we recognize that the electronics industry will continue to evolve and demands for ESD factory control will not relent.  Each factory environment is unique and represents a unique challenge in controlling ESD. Desco will continue to work closely with the people that are charged with managing their factory’s ESD control plan to ensure that the methods used for protecting ESD susceptible devices are current.

Desco offers a no-charge ESD surveys as a way to have an extra set of eyes evaluate your factory’s ESD control environments. Our sales reps are outfitted with equipment to perform ESD Surveys. Using the ESD Association’s standards and their equipment, Desco sales reps will take measurements, make observations, and provide you with a written report to help you manage your program.  If you are interested in an ESD Survey and/or a test equipment demo please contact us HERE.

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