Technetters: Our new Space customer may be pushing us to use static-protective gloves or finger cots for soldering and assembly operations. We prefer to continue our current practice, having operators exercise due care and handle product by the edges only, and use gloves only for hot things or when using some chemicals. This has worked well for all of our high-rel product, including flight controls and aircraft engine controls. When we do 10-day humidity on conformal coated assemblies, we occasionally see mealing patterns in the shape of fingerprints, but not very often. Some of the problems we see with the alternatives, in approximate order of importance: 1. Gloves and finger cots compromise dexterity and tactile sensitivity. Maybe not much, but some. Productivity suffers, defects go up, and maybe some things get dropped that normally wouldn't. 2. Contaminants deposit on gloves or finger cots, obviating any benefit. By contrast, when operators get flux or adhesives on their bare fingers, they can feel it, and they go wash their hands, or at least wipe them on something. 3. Finger oils still get on gloves or finger cots. You have to handle them with bare hands to get them on, and then everyone's nose needs a scratch once in a while. 4. Operators hate them because they are cumbersome and uncomfortable. Some would say tough luck, and if there were good reasons we would force the issue, but as it is this looks like another compliance issue/audit trap that we don't really need. 5. Over time, some people develop sensitivity to latex, maybe even nitrile. 6. They cost money. Like bunny suits or respirators, I don't know why anyone would use these things unless there was a good reason. Anyone out there have any experience, good or bad? Joe Kane Lockheed Martin Control Systems ############################################################## TechNet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ############################################################## To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TECHNET <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TECHNET ############################################################## Please visit IPC web site (http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm) for additional information. If you need assistance - contact Gayatri Sardeshpande at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5365 ##############################################################