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A Primer on Electro-Static Discharge Teledyne API Model T360/T360M Operation Manual
266
A charge can be induced onto the conductive surface and/or discharge triggered
in the presence of a charged field such as a large static charge clinging to the
surface of a nylon jacket of someone walking up to a workbench.
As long as my analyzer is properly installed, it is safe from damage
caused by static discharges
: It is true that when properly installed the
chassis ground of your analyzer is tied to earth ground and its electronic
components are prevented from building static electric charges themselves.
This does not prevent discharges from static fields built up on other things,
like you and your clothing, from discharging through the instrument and
damaging it.
9.4. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF STATIC CONTROL
It is impossible to stop the creation of instantaneous static electric charges. It is
not, however difficult to prevent those charges from building to dangerous levels
or prevent damage due to electro-static discharge from occurring.
9.4.1. General Rules
Only handle or work on all electronic assemblies at a properly set up ESD station.
Setting up an ESD safe workstation need not be complicated. A protective mat
properly tied to ground and a wrist strap are all that is needed to create a basic
anti-ESD workstation (see Figure 9-2).
Wrist Strap
Protective M at
Ground Point
Figure 9-2: Basic anti-ESD Work Station
For technicians that work in the field, special lightweight and portable anti-ESD
kits are available from most suppliers of ESD protection gear. These include
everything needed to create a temporary anti-ESD work area anywhere.
Always wear an Anti-ESD wrist strap when working on the electronic
assemblies of your analyzer
. An anti-ESD wrist strap keeps the person
wearing it at or near the same potential as other grounded objects in the
work area and allows static charges to dissipate before they can build to
dangerous levels. Anti-ESD wrist straps terminated with alligator clips are
available for use in work areas where there is no available grounded plug.
Also, anti-ESD wrist straps include a current limiting resistor (usually around one
meg-ohm) that protects you should you accidentally short yourself to the
instrument’s power supply.
Simply touching a grounded piece of metal is insufficient. While this
may temporarily bleed off static charges present at the time, once you stop
touching the grounded metal new static charges will immediately begin to re-
07272B DCN6552