Circuits Assembly - March 2008 - (Page 30)

Controlling Static Mastering ESD Control in Automated Handling Systems By Bob Taplett Most damage comes not from personnel, but from charged equipment or components. s device geometries get smaller and processing speeds grow faster, their ESD sensitivity increases. Designers face the challenge of fitting more active component features into smaller chip territory, often at the expense of on-chip protection devices. The tradeoff: greater risk for ESD damage. Mastering ESD control has always been critical to high production yields, but not to the degree it will be in the next few years. While the industry has a solid understanding of ESD safety in manual operations involving personnel, there is room for improvement in automated applications. To be effective, ESD control programs must ensure automated handling equipment is capable of handling highly sensitive devices. A Software bug “Extra” pulse Equipment latch-up event Induced electromagnetic disturbance Figure 1. EMI resulting from ESD is often mistaken for a software glitch. ESD impacts productivity and product reliability in virtually every aspect of the electronics environment. ESD costs the electronics industry billions of dollars every year. Industry experts attribute an estimated 8 to 33% of all product losses are caused by ESD.1 However, ESD damage results in more than just device loss. It affects production yields, manufacturing costs, product quality and reliability, customer relationships, and ultimately, profitability. For automated facilities, conventional methods of ESD control must be re-examined and new methods applied. Automated assembly equipment is capable of processing 4,000 to 20,000 components an hour and up.2 At these speeds, poorly designed equipment permitted to charge devices can damage large amounts of components in a very short amount of time. Perhaps even more important, an ESD event can in turn damage the automated equipment. ESD generates a significant amount of electromagnetic interference (EMI). EMI resulting from an ESD event is often powerful enough to interrupt the operation of the production equipment. Equipment controlled by microprocessors is especially susceptible to damage, as they operate in the same frequency range as the EMI from ESD events. Often mistaken for a software error or glitch in the system, EMI can cause a variety of equipment operating problems, such as stoppages, software errors, testing and calibration inaccuracies, as well as mishandling (Figure 1). All can cause significant physical component damage and affect production yields. The effects of EMI tend to be random in nature and can affect equip- 30 Circuits Assembly MARCH 2008 circuitsassembly.com http://circuitsassembly.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Circuits Assembly - March 2008

Circuits Assembly - March 2008 Caveat Lector Letters Industry News Market Watch Talking Heads Focus on Business On the Forefront Screen Printing What Drives the Crowd? Mastering ESD Control in Automated Handling Systems Beating the RoHS Heat Trade Secrets True to Its Roots The Road Abroad - Strategic Alliance or Greenfield Facility? Tech Tips Wave Soldering Test and Inspection Process Doctor Pb-Free Lessons Learned Getting Lean Materials World Equipment Advances Apex Product Preview Ad Index Assembly Insider Technical Abstracts

Circuits Assembly - March 2008

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