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Teledyne API - T100 UV Fluorescence SO2 Analyzer A Primer on Electro-Static Discharge
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14.4.1. GENERAL RULES
Only handle or work on all electronic assemblies at a properly set up ESD station. Setting
up an ESD safe workstation need not be complicated. A protective mat properly tied to
ground and a wrist strap are all that is needed to create a basic anti-ESD workstation
(refer to figure 12-2).
Wrist Strap
Protective Mat
Ground Point
Figure 14-2: Basic anti-ESD Work Station
For technicians that work in the field, special lightweight and portable anti-ESD kits are
available from most suppliers of ESD protection gear. These include everything needed
to create a temporary anti-ESD work area anywhere.
Always wear an Anti-ESD wrist strap when working on the electronic assemblies
of your analyzer. An anti-ESD wrist strap keeps the person wearing it at or near the
same potential as other grounded objects in the work area and allows static charges to
dissipate before they can build to dangerous levels. Anti-ESD wrist straps terminated
with alligator clips are available for use in work areas where there is no available
grounded plug.
Also, anti-ESD wrist straps include a current limiting resistor (usually around one
meg-ohm) that protects you should you accidentally short yourself to the
instrument’s power supply.
Simply touching a grounded piece of metal is insufficient. While this may
temporarily bleed off static charges present at the time, once you stop touching the
grounded metal new static charges will immediately begin to re-build. In some
conditions, a charge large enough to damage a component can rebuild in just a few
seconds.
Always store sensitive components and assemblies in anti-ESD storage bags or
bins: Even when you are not working on them, store all devices and assemblies in a
closed anti-Static bag or bin. This will prevent induced charges from building up on
the device or assembly and nearby static fields from discharging through it.
Use metallic anti-ESD bags for storing and shipping ESD sensitive components
and assemblies rather than pink-poly bags. The famous, “pink-poly” bags are
made of a plastic that is impregnated with a liquid (similar to liquid laundry
detergent) which very slowly sweats onto the surface of the plastic creating a slightly
conductive layer over the surface of the bag.
While this layer may equalizes any charges that occur across the whole bag, it
does not prevent the build up of static charges. If laying on a conductive,
grounded surface, these bags will allow charges to bleed away but the very
charges that build up on the surface of the bag itself can be transferred through
the bag by induction onto the circuits of your ESD sensitive device. Also, the
06807C DCN6650