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Workshop Product Guide

Protecting ESD products

Before sparks fly

When sparks fly, it might mean love is in the air. Or maybe it’s just because of electrostatic charges. We’ve all been there – you touch the car door and get a tiny shock. In production settings, this electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage sensitive components. As electrification and connectivity have increased, these components have become ever smaller, not to mention ever more common. The upshot is more ESD sensitivity.

In order to avoid damage, it’s important to use the right ESD equipment. We’ve got a wide selection of ESD products to protect your electronics, including material stands, safety shoes, mats and industrial swivel chairs.

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Protect electronic components from damage

Discover here how and where electrostatic discharge happens and what the associated risks are. You will also find out which products you can use to protect sensitive components from ESD, both at workstations and during transport, which in turn will help you to avoid incurring high costs.

Setting up ESD protected areas

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Floor coverings

ESD protection starts from the ground up. ESD mats and other floor coverings drain static electricity into the ground. This can also be useful in the office, since high voltages can build up when office chairs are rolled across the floor. Anti-fatigue ESD mats are especially helpful for standing workspaces.

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Storage

Use shelves with an ESD coating for storing electronic components. It’s important that the shelves are located within an EPA or are earthed. You can also store electronic components in ESD containers such as special box pallets or open fronted storage bins.

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ESD workstations

ESD tables, chairs, stools and anti-fatigue stools prevent dangerous discharges at workstations.

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Tools

When carrying out work on sensitive electronic components, be sure to use only conductive tools, for example ESD screwdrivers.

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Transporting electronic components

ESD protection is also important when transporting equipment from one room to another. We recommend using electrically conductive platform trolleys with ESD castors. Sealed ESD plastic boxes can also be used to transport sensitive components safely.

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ESD clothing

In EPAs, wearing ESD shoes is a must. In accordance with the EN 61340-5-1 standard, these shoes must have a resistance of between 7.5 x 105 and 3.5 x 107 Ohm.

They should ideally be paired with ESD wrist or heel straps, which are connected with an earthing cable, ensuring that the wearer is permanently earthed.

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Final tip: check that you have the right humidity level

Low humidity leads to higher static build-up, and vice versa. This is because when the air is sufficiently moist, a thin layer of moisture develops on surfaces, making them conductive.

However, high levels of humidity aren’t ideal for sensitive components or the health of your staff, so it’s best to maintain humidity at between 40 % and 60 %.

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Make sure there are no shocks in store

There’s bound to be an ESD solution that suits your needs, and we’d love to help you find it. We’ll kit you out with products that offer the best protection from this invisible danger.

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