ESD is an acronym for electrostatic discharge which is the transmission of electric charge that occurs when two objects of varying voltages are placed in close proximity to each other or touch each other. Despite the fact that electrostatic discharge usually occurs at low intensities that may not be felt, heard or seen, it has the potential of causing damage to susceptible electronic elements. It can accumulate at a fast and unanticipated rate to produce extremely high currents. Therefore, ESD tools refer to those tools that are designed to disperse the electrostatic charge, preventing those susceptible electronic elements from any damage.
Standards That ESD Safe Tools Must Meet
To meet the standards for ESD safety, the tools must meet a range of requirements. These requirements include:
- The unit should be grounded and the resistance between its tip and the ground should be below 2 ohms.
- The potential of the tip to ground should be less than 2 millivolts.
- The material used in the making of the unit should be safe and it should pass a static decay test. The material should also possess a surface resistivity of below 10 ohms/square.
However, not all parts of the unit are subject to these ESD safety requirements. Those that ESD safety requirements apply to include; cases, connection cords, connection hoses, housings and handles. Parts that are meant to conduct electricity such as power supply cords, power switches, fuses and potentiometers. Other areas likely to be affected by ESD safety standards include flooring and footwear, working surfaces, seats, garments and gloves as well as cleanrooms.
ESD-Safe Products Available
We offer a variety of ESD products and tools. They include:- ESD-safe containers
- ESD-safe screwdrivers
- Tweezers
- Anti-static mats
- Brushes
- ESD-bags
- Anti-static rubber finger cots
- Antistatic carbon fibre gloves
- Cordless wrist strap
We highly recommend the use of ESD-safe tools when working with circuit boards and components in mobile devices. If you have any questions about these tools please contact our team for further information.
ESD-Safe Tools Range
