If your coats are strictly for ESD control, then following the manufacturers laundering instructions is all that is really needed. On-site/off-site should not really matter. However if you are also trying to control particle shedding (i.e.. clean room environment, photo-lith etc.) I would then recommend using a service that controls cross-contamination during laundering and provides a clean room packaging option. This comes from over 20 years clean room experience. IMHO, B. Christoffel NorLux Corp. -----Original Message----- From: Kane, Joseph [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 9:24 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [TN] ESD Coats - Cleaning And Maintenance We're using ESD coats/smocks in selected areas, but we're thinking of implementing them in all production areas. Still not convinced that they offer significant ESD benefits over conscientious grounding through wrist straps and heel straps, but we won't debate that. Our customers increasingly come to expect a certain look, and maybe it's enough that smocks look spiffy and foster appropriate attitudes in the workforce. This is going to cost though. Usual practice, which we follow, is to contract with an industrial laundry to lease us the coats and do the cleaning. Three coats are assigned per person: one to wear, one in reserve, and one at the cleaner's. The service comes in once a week to pick up and drop off. Does anyone have experience with an alternative model? Launder in-house, or make the operators responsible for taking them home and cleaning their own? Sure, some will end up missing, and some will come back with oil-change stains, etc. But workable? Do industrial laundries use some special processes that help preserve conductive thread? Joe Kane BAE SYSTEMS Controls Johnson City, NY --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 -----------------------------------------------------