An ESD Workstation is a work area with materials and equipment that limit electrostatic voltages and ESD (electrostatic discharge) or more commonly referred to as Static.

The first step in protecting a workstation is to ground all components of the work area (work surfaces, people, equipment, etc.) to the same electrical ground point called the “common point ground.”

While it is recommended to take every precaution available to control static, not all the ESD steps below may be necessary for basic ESD protection. Your workstation may not require all these items. Call Transforming Technologies for help designing your ESD workstation

ESD Protection Steps

1. ESD Table Mat

A work surface that removes static from conductive items placed on it. Commonly made from durable materials such as rubber, vinyl or laminate. A 10mm grounding snap should be installed in the mat or every 10 ft if it is long.

2. Wrist Band and Coil Cord Set

Safely grounds a person working at a workstation.  It is worn around the wrist and is connected to ground through a long coiled cord and the common point ground.

3. Common Point Ground

Used for grounding ESD mats and provide a path-to-ground for the person wearing wrist straps.  It attaches to the ESD worksurface via the 10mm grounding snap.

4. ESD Floor Mat

ESD floor mats remove static charges from conductive items placed on it. ESD footwear such as a Heel Grounder must be worn to remove static from the person standing on the mat. It is best used for mobile personnel that cannot be tethered to one location by a wrist strap.   A grounding snap should be installed in the mat or every 10 ft if it is long.

5. ESD Floor Mat Ground Cord

Used for grounding the floor mat by providing a path-to-ground for an ESD floor mat.  Connects to the mat via a grounding snap.

6. ESD Heel Grounders

Worn on each shoe to connect a walking or standing person to ground.

7. Constant Monitors

These electronic devices continuously monitor the path to ground of a wrist strap, work surface and other grounded components on a workstation.  Eliminates the need to test wrist bands and protects against ground failures.

8. ESD Jackets

Provide shielding from static charges on your clothing. A “Hip-to-Cuff” grounding system ensures proper grounding without requiring wristbands being worn that can inhibit your movement.

9. ESD Equipment Testers

ESD wrist strap and heel grounders, like any equipment used every day, can wear. Ensure these items are in proper working order with ESD Equipment testers.

10. ESD Air Ionizers

Materials, called insulators, cannot be grounded by typical means.  Ideally insulators should be removed from the workstation, but if they must stay an ESD Air ionizer can neutralize static buildup.  Delivering a balanced stream of ionized air, ionizers remove static charges from insulating materials and isolated conductors.

Every situation is unique and requires different steps to properly manage a static situation.

Stationary Personnel

Mandatory Steps: 1,2,3

Suggested Steps: 7,9

Optional Steps: 4,5,6,7,10

Mobile Personnel

Mandatory Steps: 4,5,6

Suggested Steps: 9

Thank you to all who visited the Transforming Technologies booth at the ESD/EOS Symposium 2011.  It was a wonderful opportunity to meet new people in the ESD field and reconnect with past colleagues.

A recap of the products and demostations at our booth:

AlphaBoost:  Electronically Enhanced Alpha Ionization

AlphaBoostâ„¢ bipolar ionization systems significantly enhance the effective range of P-2042 alpha sources (NRD, Inc.)and offer a practical alternative for static control in ultraclean manufacturing environments. Alphaboostâ„¢ uses self-contained, pulse DC fields to repel ions rapidly away from the alpha source. The Alphaboostâ„¢ system variable frequency control provides excellent static protection, in multiple configurations.

For more information about AlphaBoost, please visit the links below:

http://bfnionizers.com/support/alphaboost-electronically-enhanced-alpha-ionization.html

http://bfnionizers.com/support/cleanroom-air-ionization-in-a-nano-world-presentation.html

Cyclops – Infrared Operator Presence Sensor for the CM2800 Series Constant Monitor

CYCLOPSâ„¢ operator presence sensorsassure compliance with personnel grounding requirements and protect ESD safe workstations by sensing when an operator is within the protected work area. An operator who approaches the workstation without connecting their wrist strap causes the CM2800 Series resistance monitor with the CYCLOPSâ„¢ sensor to alarm. The alarm continues until compliance is achieved, preventing isolated operators from damaging ESD sensitive devices

Recently we were given the honor of guest blogging on the Q Source Resource, the blog of Q Source, a supplier of manufacturing, assembly tools, and equipment.  We chose to discuss the basics of an effective ESD Control Program: ESD Prevention Program, an ESD Training Program, and an Audit Program. In Part 1 of “Elements of an Effective ESD Control Program,” we looked at ESD prevention programs.

Please take a moment to read the post and let Q Source know what you think.  In part two of the series we will tackle the importance of ESD training.

An ESD mat is a very important part of an ESD protected area.  ESD mats are designed to eliminate static on its surface and of objects placed upon it.   It does this by having a conductive material embedded within the mat that collects the static and sends it to ground (earth). This is usually accomplished by connecting the mat to ground (typically the center screw of an outlet) with a ground cord. It’s important to discharge at a slow rate, therefore a resistor in the ground cord is recommended.

A quick search online or in ESD catalogs reveal a myriad of ESD mat options.   What are the main considerations in choosing an ESD mat?

Material:

ESD mats are generally found in two categories:  Vinyl and Rubber.  ESD Rubber mats are the most widely used mat material because they have a high resistance to heat and most chemicals.  ESD Vinyl mats are also used for tabletop or work surface applications. They are easy to cut, and some varieties provide cushion. The type of material is a primary concern if you will be using a constant monitor because some materials are incompatible with certain constant monitors.

Composition:

ESD mats are available in single, two and three layer material. Mats are made of a single homogenous conductive layer material, two layers of static dissipative rubber material or vinyl with a conductive material sandwiched between two layers.  Thickness, texture, and cushioning of the mat are also concerns depending on the application.  Regardless of composition, all mats should meet or exceed the requirements of ANSI ESD-S20.20.

Size:

ESD matting typically comes in 50′ or 60′ rolls in four standard widths: 24″; 30″; 36″ and 48″.  The material is easy to cut and has a long shelf life so if you have more than one area to cover or expansion is a possibility, purchase a full roll and cut pieces as needed.  Many suppliers also provide ready-to-use pre-cut mats with grounding hardware already installed.  These mats can be more expensive, but it can also be a great time saver.

Electrical Performance:

All static control mats are not created equally.  The ESD mat’s long-term electrical properties are tantamount to successfully controlling an ESD event. The terms insulative, conductive, and dissipative are all terms that subdivide ESD materials based on their individual surface resistance. Surface resistance is a measurement of how easily an electric charge can travel across a medium (Visit here to learn How To Test ESD Mats). Conductive materials have a surface resistance of less than 1 x 10 5 ohms/square. Dissipative items have a surface resistance of more than 1 x 10 5 ohms/square but less than 1 x10 11 ohms/square. An insulative material is one that has a surface resistance of greater than 1 x 10 ¹² ohms/square. Based upon your application, ESD mats should be in either the dissipative or conductive range. Something insulative is not considered ESD safe.

Conclusion:

When choosing an ESD mat, first use your specific application to narrow your choices, such as mat material and electrical properties.  Carefully plan and budget your workstation and estimate wear and tear so that you can choose to purchase a full roll or a pre-cut mat.  Finally, do not let cost dictate your decision – saving a few dollars on low quality matting could have very costly consequences via catastrophic damage, latent failures and customer complaints.

For help choosing your ESD mat, please call Transforming Technologies at 419-841-9552 or email info@transforming-technologies.com

The 2011 Annual Meeting of the Electrostatics Society of America will be held June 14-16, 2011, at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH. Papers will be presented in all scientific and technical areas involving electrostatics, and Transforming Technologies is proud to announce that two of our associates work will be included in the event.

On Tuesday, June 14 at 2pm, Dr. Larry Levit of LBL Scientific will be presenting the paper “Generating Air Ionization With No Contaminating Particles”.  Written in conjunction with Doug Buyer of the ESD Company, the session will examine the performance of the Aphaboost technology, a hybrid alpha/electronic air ionizer. Below is the abstract:

Abstract—Modern semiconductor manufacturing employs air ionizers to reduce the effects
of static charge. These effects are contamination control from electrostatic attraction and on
physical damage from discharges. Conventionally, air ionization is generated by corona from
needle electrodes, but there are particles generated by this process. In the past, these particles
have been too small to affect the manufacturing process, but this is no longer true. The latest
small structures on the wafer have reached the limit where these particles will harm the product.
This paper discusses the mechanism for particle creation and presents a design which
creates no particles.

For more information on Alphaboost, read the white paper Alphaboost Electronically Enhanced Alpha Ionization, or view this Cleanroom Air Ionization in a Nano World presentation.  For conference information, visit http://electrostatics.org. Dr. Levit can be reached at LBL Scientific and Doug Buyer can be reached via email at douglasesd@gmail.com.

Transforming Technologies is proud to announce the addition of the HG1360NM-2 to our line of ESD heel grounders.

Non-marking heel grounders are valuable because they help keep your controlled environment clean. The HG1360NM-2 is constructed from a non-marking and highly dissipative three layer rubber. The reversible 1.5” wide rubber cup, secures both at the back and underneath the heel. Its 7.5” length rubber provides enough cup volume to fit comfortably on those with larger shoe sizes. The 7” stretch hook and loop enclosure ensures a comfort fit. For more information, download HG1360NM-2 Data Sheet.

Features

• High Visibility Blue Color
• Non-Marking Rubber
• Buried resistor

For price and availability on the HG1360NM-2 or for information on any products in Transforming Technologies full line of ESD products, please call 419-841-9552 or email eric@transforming-technologies.com.

Static Control is one category in the very large Industrial Product market. When ever Transforming Technologies has questions about industries outside our niche, we turn to the Q Source Q-Bot for answers.  Today’s question from the Q Source Resource:

Dear Q-Bot: When I shop QSource.com for certain products, I often see the terms RoHS or RoHS-compliant. What does this mean and why is RoHS-compliance important?

Thanks! — S.R.G. via the Internet

Greetings S.R.G.:
RoHS is the acronym for Restriction of Hazardous Substances. Originating in the European Union (EU), and known as Directive 2002/95/EC, it restricts the use of six hazardous/toxic materials used in electrical and electronic products.

Often referred to as Lead-Free, the RoHS Directive indicates maximum levels for these six materials:

• Lead (Pb): < 1000 ppm (Exposure can lead to neurological disorders—including changes in mental development and behaviors in children)
• Mercury (Hg): < 100 ppm (Exposure can lead to neurological disorders—especially in babies and children)
• Cadmium (Cd): < 100 ppm (Exposure can lead to kidney dysfunction, lung cancer, and prostate cancer)
• Hexavalent Chromium: (Cr VI) < 1000 ppm (Exposure can lead to cancer, irritation, nasal septum perforation, the development of stomach ulcers, kidney and liver damage, convulsions, and even death)
• Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB): < 1000 ppm (Exposure is possibly carcinogenic to humans)
• Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE): < 1000 ppm (Exposure can lead to liver toxicity, thyroid toxicity, and neurodevelopmental toxicity)

For more discussion on RoHS, visit the Q Source Resource discussion .

To submit your “Question for Q-Bot,” please contact Q-Bo via Twitter (@q_source), Facebook, or the “Ask a Question” link on the QSource.com homepage.