Measure:
Indicate surface voltage and polarity of objects.
Control:
Insulators must be identified at an ESD work area and must meet the guidelines in the ESDA’s ESD Control Program Handbook-ESD TR20.20.
Non-Process Essential Insulators
If items that can charge to 125 volts or more*, then one of the following will be used:
- Remove the item from the EPA
- Permanently secure, so that insulators that charge to > 125 volts are a minimum of 1″ from ESD susceptible items at all times (12″ from ESDS if can charge 2,000 volts or more)
Process Essential Insulators
If process essential non-conductors / insulators (i.e., circuit board materials, some device packages, and test fixtures) are used in the ESD Protected Area that can charge 125 volts* or more, then one of the following will be used:
- Replace insulators with an ESD protective version (binders, document holders, packaging, foam, chair covers, etc)
- Periodically coat with Reztore Topical Antistat
- Use ionization to neutralize the charge on the item
Verify:
Use the field meter to verify that the the charge generation ESD protective version products (binders, shop travelers, packaging, foam, chair covers, etc) are < ±125 volts (<±2,000 volts) and ionization test kit to verify the offset voltage (balance) and charge decay of ionization equipment.
* Static field meters are used to measure the charge generation of insulators and isolated / un-grounded conductors. Surface resistance meters are used to measure the Resistance point-to-point (Rtt) and resistance point-to-ground (Rtg).
Click HERE to learn more about Desco Digital Static Field Meter and Ionization Test Kit.