For most people, static electricity is nothing more than the simple cramp experienced when touching a metal door handle after walking on a carpet or sliding in a car seat.

However, the field of electrostatics goes much further, since it has been a serious problem for the industry for centuries. At the beginning of the century, European and Caribbean forts were already using control procedures and devices to prevent electrostatic discharges from exploding black powder stores.

In the 1860s or so, U.S. paper mills used basic landings, flame ionization techniques, and steam drums to dissipate static electricity from paper webs as they passed through the drying process.

Any business and industrial process has at some point had its own problems regarding electrostatic charging and discharging. Clear examples could be ammunition and explosives, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, printing and graphic arts, textiles, paint or plastics. In all of them, the control of static electricity is of significant importance.

With the arrival of the technological era, new problems also appeared in this area. As electronic devices became faster and smaller, their sensitivity to electrostatic discharge, or ESD, increased. Today, ESD has a significant impact on every aspect of electronics.[2]​.

Despite the great effort made in the last quarter of a century, ESD still affects production performance, costs, product reliability, etc. Industry experts have estimated that the average product loss related to static electricity ranges from 8% to 33%.

Contenido

La forma más llamativa o espectacular de una ESD es la “chispa”, que ocurre cuando un campo electrostático fuerte crea un canal conductivo ionizado a través del aire. Sus efectos pueden llevar desde un pequeño malestar sobre una persona, hasta fuego y explosiones si el aire contiene gases o partículas combustibles, pasando, evidentemente, por causar serios daños sobre los equipos electrónicos.

Muchas de las descargas electrostáticas ocurren sin una “chispa” visible o audible, por ejemplo, una persona porta una carga relativamente pequeña y puede que no sienta la descarga, pero ésta es lo suficientemente potente para dañar componentes electrónicos muy sensibles. Estos tipos de descargas invisibles, pueden causar fallos en los dispositivos, e incluso degradarlos de una forma más pasiva, afectándolos a largo plazo y dando fe del daño cuando ya ha avanzado bastante su tiempo de vida.

spark or lightning

The spark occurs when the strength of the electric field exceeds the dielectric strength of air (approximately 4 – 30 kV/cm). This can cause a rapid increase in the number of free electrons and ions in the air, causing the air to suddenly become an electrical conductor through a process called “dielectric drop.”

The best example of a natural "spark" is a lightning strike. In this case, the potential difference between a cloud and the ground, or between two clouds, is hundreds of millions of volts. The resulting current flowing through the ionized air causes an explosive release of energy.

"Sparks" can cause serious explosions due to the high temperatures reached during their development. An example of this is the Hindenburg airship disaster, which, after numerous theories about how the accident occurred, was attributed to an electrostatic discharge that set fire to panels stained with thermite, a highly flammable compound. The aircraft had experienced a storm where it had acquired a large electrostatic charge. The unloading occurred when they were going to tie the ropes to land in New Jersey in 1937.

Corona effect

The corona effect occurs, for example, in the conductors of high-voltage lines and manifests itself in the form of a luminous halo around them. Since the conductors are usually circular in section, the halo takes the shape of a crown, hence the name.

The cause is found in the ionization of the air surrounding the conductor due to high voltage levels in the line. At the moment that the air molecules are ionized, they are able to conduct electric current and part of the electrons pass from the line to the air. Such circulation causes an increase in temperature in the gas, giving it a reddish color for low temperature levels or bluish for high levels. This means that its intensity can be quantified according to the color of the halo.

The first record of this form of electrostatic discharge is the “Saint Elmo's Fire”. In stormy weather at sea, lights like reddish or bluish flames sometimes appeared on the tops of ships' masts. Sailors associated it with a form of protection and named it after their patron, Erasmus of Formia (Saint Elmo).

Download "brush"

This form of electrostatic discharge is a particular type of corona discharge, which takes place between two electrodes embedded in a non-conducting medium and is characterized by weak and clear bifurcations composed of ionized particles.

These discharges can occur between charged insulating plastics such as polyethylene and a conductor. The maximum energy associated with a discharge of this type does not usually exceed 4mJ and may be flammable but is less likely to cause air ignition than other types of discharge between two conductors.

• - Motorists and passengers are well aware of the effects of the "ESD" phenomenon that occurs when they touch the ends of the door or trunk, the tip of the hood or the angle of any body pillar. Although the power of said discharge is weak and non-dangerous, the subject is sensitive to its manifestation. There have been exceptional cases of motorists who, their bodies being charged with static electricity, have grabbed the fuel hose at the service station and when they went to insert the pump into the tank, an electrostatic spark was triggered that ended up setting the hose on fire. To avoid this very dangerous event, it is recommended that before refueling you touch a metal surface (such as the door of our car) to discharge the electrostatic energy.

• - Whatever the different forms of human receptivity, the reactions are one of helplessness. Faced with this series of events, the most cautious, prudent or affected people buy small tapes that generally incorporate metallic conductive threads, and place them in the rear part of the vehicle, so that static electricity can be released there. In very succinct terms free of all scientism, static electricity is rather triboelectricity, that is, electricity produced by contact, rubbing, friction or rubbing (from the Greek "tribein", to rub). Its existence has been known since ancient times and medicine has used it for two centuries to care for the nervous system.

• - In any case, anyone who has long hair can appreciate, every time they do it, how rubbing the comb attracts the hair. Another well-known example is that of cats' skin that produces triboelectricity when you run your fingers over it: by its attitude, the animal clearly manifests the reality of the phenomenon. In a car there is no shortage of sources of triboelectricity: "ferodos" or brake pads in friction with disc or drums and fan/alternator belts, to name only the two main ones.

Las descargas electrostáticas son un serio peligro para la electrónica de estado sólido, ya que pueden inutilizar dispositivos electrónicos. Los circuitos integrados se fabrican con materiales semiconductores como el silicio y con materiales aislantes como el dióxido del silicio. Cualquiera de estos materiales puede sufrir daño permanente cuando se expone a pequeñas cargas eléctricas.

La prevención de ESD se realiza mediante un área de protección electrostática (EPA). El EPA puede ser una estación de trabajo pequeña o un área grande de fabricación. El motivo principal de un EPA es ese: no estar cargando altamente el material en los alrededores de la electrónica sensible a ESD, poner a tierra todos los materiales conductores y poner a tierra a los trabajadores. Así la acumulación de la carga en electrónica sensible de ESD se evita. A la hora de planificar y diseñar un EPA (área de protección electrostática) es esencial la utilización de materiales conductores. La primera y más esencial unidad de protección EPA para proteger el material electrónico expuesto a sufrir daños por descargas electrostáticas es todo aquel elemento que esté en contacto directo con el material a proteger. Por ello, la manipulación, transporte y almacenamiento debe realizarse utilizando productos fabricados con materiales conductores.

Los sistemas de almacenaje fabricados en plástico conductivo son un buen ejemplo de producto creado específicamente con este cometido. Para ello se le añade al polipropileno copolímero (PPC) con el que están fabricados un aditivo conductivo: el negro de humo. Esto, además de otorgarle un característico color negro, les confiere una resistividad superficial específica que permite derivar a tierra las cargas electrostáticas. De esta forma se pueden almacenar, transportar y manipular de manera segura circuitos, tarjetas, placas, etc….

Technical characteristics of conductive boxes

• - Base material: Polypropylene copolymer (PPC).

• - Conductive additive: Carbon black.

• - Color: Black.

• - Density at 23 °C: 1.04 g/cm³.

• - Vicat softening point: 154 °C ISO 306.

• - Use temperature: 80-100 °C (permanent) 100-120 °C (short time).

• - Electrical resistance of the surface: <104 Ω cm (measured according to EN 61340 at 20 °C with 5 cm² annular electrode).

• - Specific resistivity: 4 Ω cm (measured according to 20 °C with 5 cm² annular electrode).

• - Aging: there is no decrease in conductivity (in 7 years of service).

• - Excellent resistance to UV rays.

• - Resistance to chemical agents: optimal (according to generally valid PP classification).

International standards used to define typical EPAs can be found in the standards of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

In order to prevent electrostatic discharges, it is important to know what causes them. Normally, workplace materials can be divided into 3 categories: insulating, dissipative and conductive.

• - Insulators are active generators of static electricity, such as plastics, cat hair, or polyester clothing.

• - Dissipatives have low ESD generation and have the ability to discharge slowly with low risk of damage, such as wood, paper, cardboard.

• - ESD conductors are very obvious, metal tools and other objects. Plastic handles can be a problem, as the metal will pass through the static charge as quickly as it is generated if it is on a surface. There are many other materials, such as some plastics, that also fall into this group, even dirt and concrete can enter it.

There are many activities that generate static electricity, so you need to be careful and maintain an ESD control plan. The simple act of picking up tape from a dispenser can generate quite a large voltage. Spinning around in a chair or any activity that allows 2 surfaces to rub against each other can generate static electricity.

There are several ways to implement ESD protection correctly. They can be grouped into the following areas:[3]​.

• - Protection against ESD in circuit design and assembly. Protection must be implemented in the circuitry so that the electronic circuits can withstand shocks during their normal use time. This is especially important in external connections. It is also necessary that sub-assemblies and boards have some ESD measures for when they have to be handled or dealt with.

• - Assembly and testing equipment in an EPA (electrostatic protection area). When assembling electronic devices, it is necessary that the components be handled in a way that they are not exposed to ESD. Today, most companies treat all components as sensitive to static electricity, so strict controls are used in EPAs to provide an ESD-protected environment. The use of these EPAs has become a standard in any electronic component production today.

• - Storage of components in a controlled area (ESD controlled area). Not only is it necessary to ensure ESD protection in the assembly and assembly of devices, but it must also be ensured that all components are stored and transported with this protection implemented.

• - Introduction of an ESD control. Installing equipment and creating a static-dissipative environment is the first step in creating an ESD protection area, but it is also necessary to introduce a series of correct procedures and provide training to employees. Only when personnel fully understand the principles of preventing ESD can the protection area operate safely.

In addition to these forms of protection, there are also physical devices created especially for ESD prevention. They are called antistatic devices.

An antistatic device aims to reduce the charge of static electricity on a person's body or their equipment, helping to prevent everything from minor damage to fire or explosions when working with flammable liquids or gases. Some examples could be antistatic bracelets tied to the ground that technicians wear when working at workstations, bags to store devices such as those that carry graphics cards or hard drives, mats for keyboards, mice, etc.

There are several standards currently used, including the European standards EN 100015, EN61340-5-1, and the American standard ANSI/ESD 20:21.

EN 61340-5-1 has now surpassed EN 100015, and is the main standard in Europe.

ANSI/ESD 20.20 is used primarily in North America. Manufacturers still using EN10015 should update to EN 61340-5-1 as soon as possible.

The ESDA developed the S20.20 standard which is also supported by ANSI and known as the ANSI ESD S20.20 standard. This covers all requirements for the design, establishment, implementation and maintenance of a complete ESD control program.

The birth of this standard has its origins in the fact that, traditionally, it was the military that developed the specifications and measures for the control of ESD in the United States. However, over time they focused more on seeking to commercialize their standards than on developing new ones. That's when the Department of Defense asked ESDA to convert MIL-STD-1686 into a commercial standard, ANSI/ESD S20.20.

But this was almost 30 years ago. The current ESDA standards are divided into three main groups:

• - Those that provide an ESD control program and its requirements. This includes documents such as ANSI ESD S20.20-2007—Standard of the Development of an ESD Control Program, ANSI/ESD S8.1—Symbols-ESD Awareness, or ESD TR20.20—ESD Handbook.

• - Those that cover the requirements for specific products and procedures. Some of the typical standards in this group are: ANSI/ESD S6.1—Grounding and ANSI/ESD S541—P ackaging Materials for ESD Sensitive Items.

• - Those that establish standards for testing and evaluation methods of products and materials. An example of this may be ANSI/ESDA-JEDEC JS-001-2010—Device Testing, Human Body Model.[4]​.

For most people, static electricity is nothing more than the simple cramp experienced when touching a metal door handle after walking on a carpet or sliding in a car seat.

However, the field of electrostatics goes much further, since it has been a serious problem for the industry for centuries. At the beginning of the century, European and Caribbean forts were already using control procedures and devices to prevent electrostatic discharges from exploding black powder stores.

In the 1860s or so, U.S. paper mills used basic landings, flame ionization techniques, and steam drums to dissipate static electricity from paper webs as they passed through the drying process.

Any business and industrial process has at some point had its own problems regarding electrostatic charging and discharging. Clear examples could be ammunition and explosives, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, printing and graphic arts, textiles, paint or plastics. In all of them, the control of static electricity is of significant importance.

With the arrival of the technological era, new problems also appeared in this area. As electronic devices became faster and smaller, their sensitivity to electrostatic discharge, or ESD, increased. Today, ESD has a significant impact on every aspect of electronics.[2]​.

Despite the great effort made in the last quarter of a century, ESD still affects production performance, costs, product reliability, etc. Industry experts have estimated that the average product loss related to static electricity ranges from 8% to 33%.

Contenido

La forma más llamativa o espectacular de una ESD es la “chispa”, que ocurre cuando un campo electrostático fuerte crea un canal conductivo ionizado a través del aire. Sus efectos pueden llevar desde un pequeño malestar sobre una persona, hasta fuego y explosiones si el aire contiene gases o partículas combustibles, pasando, evidentemente, por causar serios daños sobre los equipos electrónicos.

Muchas de las descargas electrostáticas ocurren sin una “chispa” visible o audible, por ejemplo, una persona porta una carga relativamente pequeña y puede que no sienta la descarga, pero ésta es lo suficientemente potente para dañar componentes electrónicos muy sensibles. Estos tipos de descargas invisibles, pueden causar fallos en los dispositivos, e incluso degradarlos de una forma más pasiva, afectándolos a largo plazo y dando fe del daño cuando ya ha avanzado bastante su tiempo de vida.

spark or lightning

The spark occurs when the strength of the electric field exceeds the dielectric strength of air (approximately 4 – 30 kV/cm). This can cause a rapid increase in the number of free electrons and ions in the air, causing the air to suddenly become an electrical conductor through a process called “dielectric drop.”

The best example of a natural "spark" is a lightning strike. In this case, the potential difference between a cloud and the ground, or between two clouds, is hundreds of millions of volts. The resulting current flowing through the ionized air causes an explosive release of energy.

"Sparks" can cause serious explosions due to the high temperatures reached during their development. An example of this is the Hindenburg airship disaster, which, after numerous theories about how the accident occurred, was attributed to an electrostatic discharge that set fire to panels stained with thermite, a highly flammable compound. The aircraft had experienced a storm where it had acquired a large electrostatic charge. The unloading occurred when they were going to tie the ropes to land in New Jersey in 1937.

Corona effect

The corona effect occurs, for example, in the conductors of high-voltage lines and manifests itself in the form of a luminous halo around them. Since the conductors are usually circular in section, the halo takes the shape of a crown, hence the name.

The cause is found in the ionization of the air surrounding the conductor due to high voltage levels in the line. At the moment that the air molecules are ionized, they are able to conduct electric current and part of the electrons pass from the line to the air. Such circulation causes an increase in temperature in the gas, giving it a reddish color for low temperature levels or bluish for high levels. This means that its intensity can be quantified according to the color of the halo.

The first record of this form of electrostatic discharge is the “Saint Elmo's Fire”. In stormy weather at sea, lights like reddish or bluish flames sometimes appeared on the tops of ships' masts. Sailors associated it with a form of protection and named it after their patron, Erasmus of Formia (Saint Elmo).

Download "brush"

This form of electrostatic discharge is a particular type of corona discharge, which takes place between two electrodes embedded in a non-conducting medium and is characterized by weak and clear bifurcations composed of ionized particles.

These discharges can occur between charged insulating plastics such as polyethylene and a conductor. The maximum energy associated with a discharge of this type does not usually exceed 4mJ and may be flammable but is less likely to cause air ignition than other types of discharge between two conductors.

• - Motorists and passengers are well aware of the effects of the "ESD" phenomenon that occurs when they touch the ends of the door or trunk, the tip of the hood or the angle of any body pillar. Although the power of said discharge is weak and non-dangerous, the subject is sensitive to its manifestation. There have been exceptional cases of motorists who, their bodies being charged with static electricity, have grabbed the fuel hose at the service station and when they went to insert the pump into the tank, an electrostatic spark was triggered that ended up setting the hose on fire. To avoid this very dangerous event, it is recommended that before refueling you touch a metal surface (such as the door of our car) to discharge the electrostatic energy.

• - Whatever the different forms of human receptivity, the reactions are one of helplessness. Faced with this series of events, the most cautious, prudent or affected people buy small tapes that generally incorporate metallic conductive threads, and place them in the rear part of the vehicle, so that static electricity can be released there. In very succinct terms free of all scientism, static electricity is rather triboelectricity, that is, electricity produced by contact, rubbing, friction or rubbing (from the Greek "tribein", to rub). Its existence has been known since ancient times and medicine has used it for two centuries to care for the nervous system.

• - In any case, anyone who has long hair can appreciate, every time they do it, how rubbing the comb attracts the hair. Another well-known example is that of cats' skin that produces triboelectricity when you run your fingers over it: by its attitude, the animal clearly manifests the reality of the phenomenon. In a car there is no shortage of sources of triboelectricity: "ferodos" or brake pads in friction with disc or drums and fan/alternator belts, to name only the two main ones.

Las descargas electrostáticas son un serio peligro para la electrónica de estado sólido, ya que pueden inutilizar dispositivos electrónicos. Los circuitos integrados se fabrican con materiales semiconductores como el silicio y con materiales aislantes como el dióxido del silicio. Cualquiera de estos materiales puede sufrir daño permanente cuando se expone a pequeñas cargas eléctricas.

La prevención de ESD se realiza mediante un área de protección electrostática (EPA). El EPA puede ser una estación de trabajo pequeña o un área grande de fabricación. El motivo principal de un EPA es ese: no estar cargando altamente el material en los alrededores de la electrónica sensible a ESD, poner a tierra todos los materiales conductores y poner a tierra a los trabajadores. Así la acumulación de la carga en electrónica sensible de ESD se evita. A la hora de planificar y diseñar un EPA (área de protección electrostática) es esencial la utilización de materiales conductores. La primera y más esencial unidad de protección EPA para proteger el material electrónico expuesto a sufrir daños por descargas electrostáticas es todo aquel elemento que esté en contacto directo con el material a proteger. Por ello, la manipulación, transporte y almacenamiento debe realizarse utilizando productos fabricados con materiales conductores.

Los sistemas de almacenaje fabricados en plástico conductivo son un buen ejemplo de producto creado específicamente con este cometido. Para ello se le añade al polipropileno copolímero (PPC) con el que están fabricados un aditivo conductivo: el negro de humo. Esto, además de otorgarle un característico color negro, les confiere una resistividad superficial específica que permite derivar a tierra las cargas electrostáticas. De esta forma se pueden almacenar, transportar y manipular de manera segura circuitos, tarjetas, placas, etc….

Technical characteristics of conductive boxes

• - Base material: Polypropylene copolymer (PPC).

• - Conductive additive: Carbon black.

• - Color: Black.

• - Density at 23 °C: 1.04 g/cm³.

• - Vicat softening point: 154 °C ISO 306.

• - Use temperature: 80-100 °C (permanent) 100-120 °C (short time).

• - Electrical resistance of the surface: <104 Ω cm (measured according to EN 61340 at 20 °C with 5 cm² annular electrode).

• - Specific resistivity: 4 Ω cm (measured according to 20 °C with 5 cm² annular electrode).

• - Aging: there is no decrease in conductivity (in 7 years of service).

• - Excellent resistance to UV rays.

• - Resistance to chemical agents: optimal (according to generally valid PP classification).

International standards used to define typical EPAs can be found in the standards of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

In order to prevent electrostatic discharges, it is important to know what causes them. Normally, workplace materials can be divided into 3 categories: insulating, dissipative and conductive.

• - Insulators are active generators of static electricity, such as plastics, cat hair, or polyester clothing.

• - Dissipatives have low ESD generation and have the ability to discharge slowly with low risk of damage, such as wood, paper, cardboard.

• - ESD conductors are very obvious, metal tools and other objects. Plastic handles can be a problem, as the metal will pass through the static charge as quickly as it is generated if it is on a surface. There are many other materials, such as some plastics, that also fall into this group, even dirt and concrete can enter it.

There are many activities that generate static electricity, so you need to be careful and maintain an ESD control plan. The simple act of picking up tape from a dispenser can generate quite a large voltage. Spinning around in a chair or any activity that allows 2 surfaces to rub against each other can generate static electricity.

There are several ways to implement ESD protection correctly. They can be grouped into the following areas:[3]​.

• - Protection against ESD in circuit design and assembly. Protection must be implemented in the circuitry so that the electronic circuits can withstand shocks during their normal use time. This is especially important in external connections. It is also necessary that sub-assemblies and boards have some ESD measures for when they have to be handled or dealt with.

• - Assembly and testing equipment in an EPA (electrostatic protection area). When assembling electronic devices, it is necessary that the components be handled in a way that they are not exposed to ESD. Today, most companies treat all components as sensitive to static electricity, so strict controls are used in EPAs to provide an ESD-protected environment. The use of these EPAs has become a standard in any electronic component production today.

• - Storage of components in a controlled area (ESD controlled area). Not only is it necessary to ensure ESD protection in the assembly and assembly of devices, but it must also be ensured that all components are stored and transported with this protection implemented.

• - Introduction of an ESD control. Installing equipment and creating a static-dissipative environment is the first step in creating an ESD protection area, but it is also necessary to introduce a series of correct procedures and provide training to employees. Only when personnel fully understand the principles of preventing ESD can the protection area operate safely.

In addition to these forms of protection, there are also physical devices created especially for ESD prevention. They are called antistatic devices.

An antistatic device aims to reduce the charge of static electricity on a person's body or their equipment, helping to prevent everything from minor damage to fire or explosions when working with flammable liquids or gases. Some examples could be antistatic bracelets tied to the ground that technicians wear when working at workstations, bags to store devices such as those that carry graphics cards or hard drives, mats for keyboards, mice, etc.

There are several standards currently used, including the European standards EN 100015, EN61340-5-1, and the American standard ANSI/ESD 20:21.

EN 61340-5-1 has now surpassed EN 100015, and is the main standard in Europe.

ANSI/ESD 20.20 is used primarily in North America. Manufacturers still using EN10015 should update to EN 61340-5-1 as soon as possible.

The ESDA developed the S20.20 standard which is also supported by ANSI and known as the ANSI ESD S20.20 standard. This covers all requirements for the design, establishment, implementation and maintenance of a complete ESD control program.

The birth of this standard has its origins in the fact that, traditionally, it was the military that developed the specifications and measures for the control of ESD in the United States. However, over time they focused more on seeking to commercialize their standards than on developing new ones. That's when the Department of Defense asked ESDA to convert MIL-STD-1686 into a commercial standard, ANSI/ESD S20.20.

But this was almost 30 years ago. The current ESDA standards are divided into three main groups:

• - Those that provide an ESD control program and its requirements. This includes documents such as ANSI ESD S20.20-2007—Standard of the Development of an ESD Control Program, ANSI/ESD S8.1—Symbols-ESD Awareness, or ESD TR20.20—ESD Handbook.

• - Those that cover the requirements for specific products and procedures. Some of the typical standards in this group are: ANSI/ESD S6.1—Grounding and ANSI/ESD S541—P ackaging Materials for ESD Sensitive Items.

• - Those that establish standards for testing and evaluation methods of products and materials. An example of this may be ANSI/ESDA-JEDEC JS-001-2010—Device Testing, Human Body Model.[4]​.