Static Control Products

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Electrostatic discharge (ESD), is the spontaneous transfer of electrostatic charge from one item to another. It can generate heat and melt circuitry in electronic components.

Inelco Hunter offers a full range of static control products to help customers establish and maintain an ESD Protected Area. Please contact us for any enquiries.

Anti-Static Clear Cellulose Tape

Bags, Desiccants, Labels & Tapes

Matt roll, 3-layer vinyl, 8200 series, blue

Bench & Floor Mats

Desco- Reztore Surface & Mat Cleaner-10446

Cleanroom Products

Desco ESD Card Holder-35015

ESD Accessories

Heel Grounder

Grounding Equipment

Workstation Monitor

Testing & Measuring Equipment

Electrostatic Charge explained:

What causes electrostatic charge?

When any two surfaces make contact and then separate, ‘tribocharging’ occurs – electrons move from one surface to the other, causing an imbalance. The amount of static electricity generated depends upon the materials involved, the area of contact, and the relative humidity of the environment (with charge generation increasing significantly as the environment becomes drier).

Typical electrostatic voltages:

  • Walking across a carpet: 1,500 – 35,000 volts
  • Walking across an untreated vinyl floor; 250- 12,000 volts
  • Unwinding a roll of tape: 9,000 – 15,000 volts

The higher voltage is generated at low humidity – a typical air-conditioned electronic manufacturing environment.

What problems can this cause my equipment?

ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE (ESD), is the spontaneous transfer of this electrostatic charge from one item to another. It can generate heat and melt the circuitry in electronic components.

As little as 100 volts can damage an electronic component. To feel an ESD event it must be 2,000 volts.

As we use more electronic components in more compact designs, our ESD risk increases. The smaller a component, the more sensitive it is, and therefore more likely to be destroyed or damaged by a sudden surge of static charge.

Types of damage:

In a catastrophic failure the component is destroyed. This can normally be detected in an inspection and therefore repaired or replaced. Latent defects pose a more serious problem: a component is damaged but not destroyed, may pass the inspection phase undetected and then be installed in the field.

Early field failure can involve costly repair work for the customer, and a loss of business and reputational damage for the supplier.

One study calculated the repair costs to fix a component failure as:

£7 if the device fails

£70 if the device fails on the board

£700 if the device on the board fails in the system

£7000 if the system fails due to the device on board

ESD controls limit and prevent ESD events, saving you time and money. 

What should be done about this?
  • Identify the types of materials in your ESD protection area, and how to protect them:
    • Conductors (including people) – electrical current passes easily through them, and they can be grounded. See our range here:
      • Personnel grounding devices:
        • Wrist straps
        • Foot grounders
        • Personnel grounding test devices
      • Workstation grounding devices:
        • Dissipative work surfaces (and associated ESD cleaners)
        • Conductive floor mats
        • ESD workstation monitors

     

    • Insulators – electrical current does not flow easily through them, they hold the charge, and cannot be grounded. These items must be removed from the EPA, ‘neutralised’ with ionisers, or replaced with an ESD protective version.
      • Ionisers:
        • Bench top ionisers
        • Neutralizing air nozzles / hand gun
        • Overhead ionisers                 
      • ESD protected products:
        • ESD garments and gloves
        • Conductive foam and shunt bars
        • Conductive and dissipative flooring
        • ESD carpeting, tiles, etc.
        • Dissipative floor finishes
        • Dissipative binders and document protectors
        • ESD workstation equipment
        • ESD packaging:
          • Bags, boxes, etc.
          • ESD tape
        • ESD material handling containers
        • ESD Field service kit
        • ESD sensitive items – must be shielded when stored or transported outside the EPA.
          • ESD packaging:
            • Bags, boxes, etc.
            • ESD tape
          • ESD material handling containers
          • ESD Field service kit

Static Management Programme

What is a Static Management Programme

A Static Management Programme (SMP) continuously monitors your ESD process control system throughout all stages of manufacturing. It captures data from workstations, equipment and ESD event-continuous monitors, and provides a real-time picture of critical manufacturing processes.

This includes:

  • System based on continuous detection in production areas
  • Ongoing readings at every stage where product could be damaged
  • Constant collection, reporting and analysis of data
  • Equal attention to machine, bench and personnel monitoring
  • User-friendly tools for non-specialist ESD coordinators
  • Ability to demonstrate robust static control measures to customers
  • Transition away from reactive, fire-fighting approaches to proactive programs based on active management of entire ESD environment
What is the equipment used in an SMP?

Ground Master (Equipment Ground Monitor): The Ground Master Monitor provides continuous monitoring of proper grounding for up to eight tools: measuring impedance in accordance with ANSI/ESD S20.20; monitoring EMI voltage signals on each ground to assist in equipment diagnostics; providing intelligent information to a facility monitoring system with detailed status on each ground connection.

WS Aware (Workstation Monitor): The WS Aware Monitor is a dual workstation continuous monitor for operators, ESD work surfaces and metal tools. It continuously monitors all grounding parameters for either two metal and two ‘soft’ grounds, or for four metal grounds, with optional ‘big brother’ alarm for occasions when the operator approaches sensitive components before correctly plugging in his or her wrist strap.

EM Aware (ESD Event Monitor): The EM Aware Monitor monitors three key parameters that keep you aware of critical symptoms of ESD problems: ESD events, change in static voltage field, and ionizer performance. The thresholds for these parameters are fully adjustable.

What are some of the advantages of SMP?

Companies can now determine and evaluate their ROI

Savings may be realised from:

  • Higher yields and process efficiencies
  • Elimination of costly inspections
  • Fewer customer complaints
  • Less re-work and lower field returns
  • Budgets driven by performance data
  • Leverage SMP to attract and retain customers
  • New source of competitive advantage – compliance as a selling point
  • Tipping the scale in project negotiations

Why choose Inelco Hunter?

Products

Our long-standing partnerships with leading suppliers allow us to offer a comprehensive range of quality products for a wide variety of markets.

Engineering

Our engineers combine an innovative system with rational analysis to understand product design, customer expectations and target market.

Support

Should you need any help or advice, our experienced, dedicated staff offer comprehensive technical support whenever you need it.

Case Studies (Download)

Read about a project we worked on with a long-standing partner and one of our customers (more case studies to follow - get in touch for further details).