ESD CONDUCTİVE PRODUCTS

What Is ESD? Electrostatic Discharge and ESD Protection

ESD stands for “Electrostatic Discharge” and refers to the sudden transfer of electrostatic charge between objects at different electrical potentials.

The static shock felt when touching a door handle is an everyday example of electrostatic discharge. However, not every discharge can be felt or seen. Discharges below the level of human perception can still damage sensitive electronic components.

How Does Electrostatic Charge Build Up?

Electrostatic charge can be generated when materials come into contact and then separate. Walking, putting on or removing clothing, opening packaging and lifting a component from a work surface are examples of this process.

Charge accumulation depends on material type, contact and separation conditions, ambient humidity and grounding. People, equipment, packaging and electronic components themselves can carry electrostatic charge.

How Does ESD Damage Electronic Products?

Electrostatic discharge can cause immediate failure, changes in performance or damage that becomes apparent later. A product continuing to function after handling does not, by itself, confirm that it has not been affected by ESD.

Integrated circuits, transistors, diodes and other sensitive semiconductor components can be affected. The damage threshold varies according to the component’s design and the characteristics of the discharge. There is no single safe voltage level that applies to all electronic products.

ESD protection should be considered throughout production, storage, testing and dispatch.

Where Is ESD Protection Used?

ESD control is important wherever electrostatically sensitive parts are handled or transported without protective packaging:

• Electronics manufacturing and assembly: Preparation, assembly and inspection of circuit boards and electronic components.

• Automotive electronics: Production and handling of electronic control units, sensors and related components.

• Testing and technical service: Measurement, inspection, repair and replacement of sensitive parts.

• Storage and logistics: Storage and shipment of electronic components in suitable protective packaging.

Protection methods should be determined by the product’s ESD sensitivity and the handling conditions, rather than the industry alone.

Measures to Control ESD

Effective ESD control combines complementary practices:

• Personnel grounding: Use appropriate wrist strap systems or verified footwear–flooring systems.

• Workstation configuration: Connect ESD work surfaces and conductive equipment to an appropriate common grounding system.

• Removal of unnecessary insulators: Limit packaging and materials that can generate charge in the work area.

• Ionisation: Help neutralise charge on essential insulating surfaces that cannot be discharged through grounding.

• Suitable packaging: Select ESD packaging appropriate to the product’s sensitivity and the environment in which it will be transported.

• Training and regular verification: Periodically check personnel practices, grounding systems and protective equipment.

ESD gloves or garments alone do not replace personnel grounding. Protective equipment should form part of a defined ESD control programme.

EPA: Electrostatic Protected Area

EPA stands for “Electrostatic Protected Area”. It describes a controlled workspace where sensitive electronic parts are handled.

Marking an area with ESD signs is not sufficient on its own. Personnel, work surfaces, equipment, packaging and working procedures must be controlled together. Grounding and ionisation serve different purposes; ionisation does not replace appropriate grounding.

ESD Conductive Products and Protective Packaging

ESD crates, pallets, parts bins and compartment boxes are material handling solutions used for storing and transporting sensitive parts. Selection should take account of their electrical properties, the operating environment and the protection requirements of the components.

Antistatic, conductive, static dissipative and discharge shielding do not mean the same thing. Low-charging packaging does not necessarily provide protection against external electrostatic discharge. Sensitive parts leaving an EPA may require packaging with suitable discharge shielding properties.

A product’s colour or ESD marking alone is not a sufficient selection criterion. Electrical performance and test information should be reviewed, and the crate, lid, internal packaging and dividers should be assessed together.

Explore the Hipaş ESD conductive products range and contact us for technical specifications suited to your storage and handling requirements.