Conformity Magazine - September 2007 - (Page 53)

inadequate for testing and evaluating materials in a class 0 environment. The single most important use of test data is in tracking trends and making corrections before problems arise. For example, ESD wax is a temporary static control flooring solution, and traffic and washing eventually diminish its electrical performance. If ESD wax is used as the primary floor ground plane, it should be tested in multiple areas on a constant basis. Does it really make sense to measure something as important as the facility’s primary ground plane without collecting, storing and evaluating multiple data points over time? Because there is a direct correlation between body voltages (measured per ANSI/ESD 97.2-1999) over 40 volts and flooring/footwear system resistances (measured per ANSI/ESD STM97.1-2006) above 10 megohms, tracking performance trends of flooring as well as other key components is mandatory in order to safely handle class 0 components. Class 0 is not the same as “class 100,” and materials that were good enough to meet ANSI/ESD S20.20 could put class 0 components in jeopardy. For class 0 applications, it makes sense to invest in quality instruments. After all, data is only as reliable as the instrument used to do the testing. The pricier instruments accurately measure, store and download data. Used correctly, this longitudinal information can prevent a critical breach in the ESD prevention program. The collection and use of quality data could help justify investment in long-term solutions instead of band-aids like ESD waxes, floor mats and paints. 7th Consideration: Involve an Expert In the 1980s many electronics companies employed in-house ESD experts. These individuals were usually members of the quality department and theirs was the final word on whether or not ESD controls were implemented, modified or eliminated. Outsourcing in combination with the high tech slowdown of the 1990s eliminated this position in many companies. Because management believed their ESD programs to be self-maintaining, ESD coordinators were looked upon as unnecessary overhead. This line of thinking was reinforced by the success of on-chip ESD protection and declining ESD sensitivity. One of the fallouts from this trend is a general lack of knowledge about static at even the most prestigious electronics corporations. One particular large telecom manufacturer had been using static dissipative flooring for an application that would have been far better served by a conductive material. When their supplier installed a more conductive version of their flooring in a new area, an auditor noticed that the new floor’s resistance to ground was now reading in the red zone on her analog resistance meter. Her concerns prompted an investigation, the auditor insisting that their new floor was “no good.” The issue was settled only after an independent consultant was brought in to help the client understand why conductive flooring was actually better for their application. The vast amount of competing information on the web has further confused buyers about which ESD protective materials to buy and what criteria to use when selecting them. Before the Internet, very little information was published without first being vetted by an editorial board. Today, anyone can become his or her own publisher—with or without technical qualifications. ESD program managers should consider only information gleaned from reliable sources such as industry associations, technical publications and independent consultants. Summary If all the ESD specialists, physicists and device manufacturers are correct, class 0 environments will soon be commonplace in high-technology environments. In a class 0 environment, marginally performing ESD solutions—a dysfunctional ionizer or static dissipative floor—cannot be trusted to eliminate the ESD threat and may even contribute to the problem they were once able to solve. With class 0, it can no longer be business as usual. State-ofthe-art components are expensive and often in short supply. A failure to properly confront the threat posed by class 0 device sensitivity will show up very quickly on the bottom line. It makes no sense to ignore an inevitable problem that can and should be eliminated by implementing logical practices. The good news is that those companies that take the threat seriously and address it preemptively will have the upper hand in today’s—and tomorrow’s—high tech marketplace. Dave Long is the president of StaticWorx, Inc., and can be reached at 617-923-2000 or by e-mail at dave@staticworx.com. FAST Link www.conformity.com/0970 September 2007 Conformity 53 http://www.conformity.com/0970

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Conformity Magazine - September 2007

Contents Editor’s Note FCC Extends Disability Access Requirements to VOIP Commission Fines Importer $3 Million Over Non-Compliant TVs FCC Gets Tough on Retailers Over Analog TV Tuner Labeling Analog Cellular Service Sunset Date Reaffirmed Commission Adopts Recommendations of Katrina Panel Free-Space Antenna Factors Through the Use of Time-Domain Signal Processing Editorial Correction ESD Open Forum An Update on Revisions to IEC 61000-4-2, the Basic Standard on ESD Practical Advice for Meeting the DFS Testing Requirements of the FCC The EMC Impact of Embedded Software ESD Design Buyer's Guide Tate Renominated to the FCC EPA Releases Report on U.S. Electronic Waste Additional Standards For The EU’s Toy Directive Medical Device Manufacturer Enters Consent Order Updated Guidance Document on Laser Products Issued FDA Offers Advice on Defective Heating Pads CPSC Issues China Product Safety Program Report Other CPSC Actions In The News IEC Standards Update Product Reviews Product News UL Standards Update From Our “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up” Department Looking Back: Items from Past Issues of Conformity Advertisers

Conformity Magazine - September 2007

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