Conformity Magazine - March 2009 - (Page 36) How Much Do Your ESD Solutions Really Cost? by Rodrigo Lima, Ciba Corporation lectrostatic discharge (ESD) is defined as the transfer of charge between bodies at different electrical potentials caused by direct contact by an electrostatic field. It can change the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device and upset the normal operation of an electronic system. In clean rooms, charged surfaces attract and hold contaminations, making removal difficult. ESD, which can occur during assembly and handling of printed circuit boards and electronic components, causes considerable damage to electronic equipment and parts, and amounts to more than 15% of all electronic product failures. The failure rate tolerated by electronics end users has dropped drastically, from 1000 parts per million to 10 parts per million, and continues to decrease. This, combined with the growth of the electronic industry and related growth of the use of plastics in electronics, has led to an increased demand for better ESD protection. The cost of ESD damage is often considered only as a direct material cost. But the loss of the material itself represents the smallest cost impact of ESD. If you total the costs of rework, warranty, field service, customer service and satisfaction, even a small device loss can be quite significant. According to the ESD Association, ESD losses can be as high as 10% of annual revenues, with an estimated average negative impact of 6.5% of revenues. Based on 1997-2001 production data, the international electronics industry is losing in excess of $84 billion every year. To prevent this damage, the industry spends more than U.S. $8 billion each year. © Scott Maxwell | Dreamstime.com E 3 Conformity marCh 2009 http://www.Dreamstime.com
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