Ditto to Mike's comments below. One of our Tech's related his experience
while in the
U. S. Navy. Someone decided to save money and bought a cheaper, non-ESD
dissapative
floor wax. Not long thereafter, a major ( like in $$$$ and function)
electronic control box
stopped functioning altogether.  Failure analysis showed that a discharge
had occcured
through the front panel switch, into the trace(s) on the circuit board, and
through the failed
(make that ZAPPED) I. C. to ground.

Charlie Barker
Sr. Manufacturing Engineer
Input/Output, Inc.




Please respond to "TechNet E-Mail Forum." <[log in to unmask]>; Please respond
      to "McMonagle, Michael R." <[log in to unmask]>



 To:      [log in to unmask]

 cc:      (bcc: Charles Barker/US/I-O INC)



 Subject: Re: [TN] Boards sensitive to ESD





Jim,
        The best rule to use is that it's never safe, unless you're
properly grounded. ESD charges can be transmitted to components whether
they are alone, in an PCB, in a ESD bag or in a finished chassis
assembly. Handle everything with this attitude, and you should have no
problems. Don't let anyone try to get away with the other attitude of
'It's a passive component (resistor/cap/etc), so I don't need to be
protected". This implements a dual standard, and allows for people to
forget when they are handling ESD sensitive devices. Implement a
consistent, across the floor, ESD policy from the receiving dock all the
way through to the shipping dock, and enforce it mercilessly.

Mike McMonagle
PCA Process Engineering Supervisor
K*Tec Electronics
1111 Gillingham Lane
Sugar Land, TX  77478
(281) 243-5639 Phone
(281) 243-5539 Fax
[log in to unmask]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: West, Jim [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Thursday, April 22, 1999 10:28 AM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      [TN] Boards sensitive to ESD
>
> Hello all,
>
> It seems to me that everyone may have a different opinion concerning
> the
> handling of ESD sensitive boards.  The questions that I ask people and
> the
> question that I get asked often is, when is the sensitive part safe.
> 1.
> After you attach to the board, 2. After you attach to the board and
> apply
> it's power source, 3. or after it is enclosed in it's housing or case?
> I
> have seen different answers from everyone even the ESD specialist like
> 3M.
> If anyone could add any insight I would really appreciate it.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jim West
> Manufacturing Engineer
> PROMARK ELECTRONICS

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