Question: What does an ionizer do? Answer: The primary function of an ionizer is to neutralize electrostatic charges on insulators and isolated (non-grounded) conductors to reduce the magnitude of electrostatic discharges in the ESD protected area. Point-of-use compressed air ionizers combat electrostatic attraction neutralizing charges on particles causing contamination or visual defects on products. Question:…
Relative humidity (RH) directly affects the ability of a surface to store an electrostatic charge. As RH increase, the time a surface will hold a charge will decrease and the dissipation rate will increase. As the RH increases, so does the natural conductivity of the air, but even at 100% RH the increase in the…
The ESD Association provided a recent article for Printed Circuit Design and FAB called titled “The Simple Solution”. To read the entire article, click HERE. The article is a good discussion regarding the importance of measuring in ESD Control situations. Any good ESD Control Plan requires different measuring devices to determine the need for and effectiveness…
By Fred Tenzer There are essentially two types of technologies used for monitoring operator wrist straps: Single-Wire Impedance or Dual-Wire Resistance Monitors. Both technologies monitor the function of an operator’s wrist strap, but it is important to understand how these technologies work and the shortcomings of each. Here is some basic historical information on the…
Read more Fred Tenzer on Continuous Monitor History and Preference
Please stop by and see us at the 2012 ESD Symposium Booth# 504! Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa 3800 East Sunrise Drive Tucson, AZ, 85718 (520) 742-6000 Exhibit Hours: Monday, September 10 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Tuesday, September 11 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM Wednesday, September…
Most people do not start feeling the effect of an ESD event until the discharge is at least 2000 volts. It typically takes a ESD discharge of greater than 2,000 or 3,000 volts for a person to feel the “zap”. The number varies because the sensitivity of people is different and measuring the voltage is imprecise, so…
The authors of a recent article in InCompliance Magazine titled Early Life Failure of Dissipative Workstation Mats, have confirmed that Desco’s Statfree® T2 was the top performing worksurface mat (Mat ID#4 in the article) in their study. To read the rest of the article click HERE Part of any good ESD Control Program is periodic…
Continuous or Constant Monitors pay for themselves improving quality, productivity, eliminating wrist strap daily testing and test result logging. “The wrist strap system should be tested daily to ensure proper electrical value. … Daily testing may be omitted if constant monitoring is used.” [Wrist Strap standard ANSI/ESD S1.1-2006 Annex A, 3 Frequency of Functional Testing]…
Read more Advantages of Using Continuous Monitors per ESD Association
Question: I am confused on ESD connections. I understand that you cannot clip a cord from a wrist strap to the edge of an ESD protective mat. I know that the common cord for wrist straps has 1 megohm of resistance and that the point to connect the wrist strap cord should have less than…
Desco has long been a supporter of the ESD Association and we have always encouraged our customers to purchase copies of standards and other documents published by the organization ANSI/ESD S20.20 (which is also available for free from the ESDA) specifies that compliance verification testing be per ESD TR53. This is the spec that companies should…
Read more Get a Complimentary Copy of the ESDA’s Compliance Verification ESD TR53