Leo, The most value smocks have is marketing. With respect to image - smocks are cool. With respect to ESD, their value is a good topic for discussion. I would never want to base an ESD system on them. For actual ESD protection you need real static conducting paths that shunts the static voltage away from your components. As an enhancement to your ESD foundation, you can add items or procedures that reduce the generation of static. Other than image, I see no reason why smocks could be a manditory component of the shunt path. ---------- From: TechNet-request To: TechNet Subject: ASSY: Smocks, are they necessary? Date: Friday, March 22, 1996 12:33PM All, We have a concern that I think is common to every electronic assembly operation. Basically, the question is, "Is it necessary to have veryone/anyone in the assembly area wearing smocks to protect static sensitive devices?". As a contract manufacturer, we have only one (potential) customer requiring that we have all associaties wear smocks on the production floor. Also, as a contract manufacturer, it is obviously a marketing advantage to have the more professional look that smocks provide, but we want to be sure we're dealing with good science as well as good marketing. The new interactive video from IPC on ESD covers the use of smocks as something that may be used but is not required. Also, some of our people have been in some very hi-test, Malcom Baldridge award winning electronic assembly plants lately where they do not use smocks. Thank you in advance for your comments. Leo Reynolds