What is ESD?

ESD stands for Electrostatic Discharge.

It is the release of static electricity when two objects come into contact. Common examples include:

• The shock felt after walking on carpet and touching a metal doorknob

• Static electricity from clothes coming out of a dryer

   

ESD events can range from 2,000 to 4,000 volts, and even lower-voltage discharges may not be felt.
Although often invisible, ESD generates a significant amount of heat.

When ESD transfers to an electronic device, this heat can melt, vaporise, or damage delicate electronic components. This may cause the device to fail immediately or later in its life.

Types of ESD Damage

ESD damage falls into two categories:

Catastrophic Damage

Causes immediate component failure and prevents the equipment from operating correctly.

Latent Damage

Causes partial degradation. The component continues to function, but its lifespan is significantly reduced, leading to failure at a later time.
 

ESD Protection Methods

Anti-static Wrist Strap

The minimum protection recommended when working on electronic equipment, such as a MASSO CNC controller, is an anti-static wrist strap.

These are inexpensive and safely drain static electricity from your body while you work.

The crocodile clip connects to Earth. The cable includes a 1 M? resistor, which provides protection if accidental contact with live mains voltage occurs.

Anti-static Bags

Anti-static bags are used to store ESD-sensitive electronics.

Components such as PCBs, motherboards, hard drives, and graphics cards are commonly supplied in anti-static bags. These bags are usually silver or pink and clearly labelled as anti-static.

The inside of the bag is anti-static; the outside is not.

If sending a board for repair, it must be placed in an anti-static bag to protect it from static build-up during transport and handling.

Anti-static Mats and Workstations

Anti-static mats are placed on workbenches when working on circuit boards.

They are connected to Earth via a lead with a built-in 1 M? resistor, preventing static build-up and safely dissipating existing charge. These mats are used together with an anti-static wrist strap.

Floor-mounted anti-static mats are also available. These reduce static build-up from personnel standing in the work area.

Anti-static mats are typically used by OEM machine manufacturers and during component-level PCB repairs.

For additional information on ESD and how to protect form it please see: Here