ESD 20:20 CERTIFICATION: ESD PROTECTION WITHIN AND BEYOND CIRCUITRIES (DEMO)
Technology is growing more sophisticated but less resistant to electrostatic discharge (ESD). Even a weak zap can fry a device’s sensitive electronics and render it useless. However, the danger ESD poses comes even before a circuit board finds its way to a smartphone or tablet.
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For Timothy Puls, product marketing engineer for Semtech, it’s “kill or be killed”—protect components from ESD charges, or suffer the loss of your products.
ESDs are generally far too weak to affect humans adversely, but ESD protection isn’t meant for them, specifically. If a fully-clothed human can store an average of between 500 and 2,500 volts of static, a nearby circuit board can get totally fried. In fact, a human being near a circuit board could be enough to destroy the circuit.
One of the most common means of ESD protection is a clamper. It allows the circuit to keep the same amplitude as the input while reducing direct current (DC) voltage. With proper installation, clampers can protect circuit boards from ESDs of up to 8,000 volts, the range where most ESDs occur.
However, ESD protection can also be enhanced beyond the circuitry. The idea is that any work area that deals with charges most of the time must be protected from the buildup of static electricity. This is why you probably won’t see a semiconductor workshop with a carpeted floor. Should there be one, it must be treated with layers of antistatic coating.
Any ESD protection plan should be outlined in writing to achieve ESD 20:20 certification. The plan should comply with the requirements of the Program, namely: The Plan, Training, Compliance Verification, and ESD Control Program Plan Technical Requirements.
The technical requirements of the Plan, on the other hand, must cover four areas: grounding systems, personnel ground, protected areas, and ESD packaging. On top of that, only a few implementing processes are required by ESD 20:20; the rest are optional.
Regardless, the optional processes may come in handy, especially during sensitivity testing. An ESD 20:20 audit may change depending on the nature of the manufacturer. Is it making circuit boards and other electronics for industrial or military applications? Is there direct human contact with the products during production?
ESD 20:20 is part of the broad ISO certification network, since ESD protection ensures overall quality. Companies with ISO certification can integrate their ESD 20:20 program into their processes, and can seek the help of certification bodies like International Standards Authority in achieving this.
(Source: ESD: Kill or Be Killed, EE Times, December 4, 2014)
For Timothy Puls, product marketing engineer for Semtech, it’s “kill or be killed”—protect components from ESD charges, or suffer the loss of your products.
ESDs are generally far too weak to affect humans adversely, but ESD protection isn’t meant for them, specifically. If a fully-clothed human can store an average of between 500 and 2,500 volts of static, a nearby circuit board can get totally fried. In fact, a human being near a circuit board could be enough to destroy the circuit.
One of the most common means of ESD protection is a clamper. It allows the circuit to keep the same amplitude as the input while reducing direct current (DC) voltage. With proper installation, clampers can protect circuit boards from ESDs of up to 8,000 volts, the range where most ESDs occur.
However, ESD protection can also be enhanced beyond the circuitry. The idea is that any work area that deals with charges most of the time must be protected from the buildup of static electricity. This is why you probably won’t see a semiconductor workshop with a carpeted floor. Should there be one, it must be treated with layers of antistatic coating.
Any ESD protection plan should be outlined in writing to achieve ESD 20:20 certification. The plan should comply with the requirements of the Program, namely: The Plan, Training, Compliance Verification, and ESD Control Program Plan Technical Requirements.
The technical requirements of the Plan, on the other hand, must cover four areas: grounding systems, personnel ground, protected areas, and ESD packaging. On top of that, only a few implementing processes are required by ESD 20:20; the rest are optional.
Regardless, the optional processes may come in handy, especially during sensitivity testing. An ESD 20:20 audit may change depending on the nature of the manufacturer. Is it making circuit boards and other electronics for industrial or military applications? Is there direct human contact with the products during production?
ESD 20:20 is part of the broad ISO certification network, since ESD protection ensures overall quality. Companies with ISO certification can integrate their ESD 20:20 program into their processes, and can seek the help of certification bodies like International Standards Authority in achieving this.
(Source: ESD: Kill or Be Killed, EE Times, December 4, 2014)