Simple Testing Method for Antistatic Clothing
Antistatic clothing is essential ESD protection for the electronics industry. Large electronics factories or professional antistatic product manufacturers generally have their own professional testing equipment, such as Faraday cylinders, roller friction machines, tensile testing machines, and electrostatic potentiometers. Strictly adhering to national standards requires the purchase of this equipment. However, some user units are small in scale and have limited product demand, perhaps only ordering a dozen or so pieces. Their purchasing personnel often lack professional knowledge of ESD testing and want to know the actual antistatic effect of the clothing after purchase. Here is a relatively simple and easy-to-implement test:
**I. First, check the appearance quality:
The fabric should be free of damage, spots, dirt, or other defects that affect its performance; the style should be simple and practical.
The stitching should be flat, straight, and secure, with appropriate tightness at the top and bottom, and free of skipped stitches or short threads.
**II. Point-to-point resistance and electrostatic field test:**
Instruments: Use a surface resistance meter and an electrostatic field meter for testing. Because both of these instruments are relatively expensive, those without the necessary equipment can conduct sampling tests at the ESD supplier's facility.
Before testing the clothing, it must be washed. Then, randomly select 5 points on the fabric and test them using a surface resistance meter on an insulated surface. The measured value should be between 10^5 and 10^11 for a qualified product. The influence of ambient temperature and humidity must also be considered. The national standard specifies an RH value of (20±5)C/(35±5)%, and the ambient temperature and humidity should not deviate too much from this value.
To measure the electrostatic voltage, if a Faraday cage is unavailable, it can be tested manually. Method: Randomly select 5 points, hold the fabric in your hand and rub it repeatedly several times, ensuring even force and number of rubs. Then, use an electrostatic field meter to measure the electrostatic voltage value. The national standard specifies an RH value of (20±5)C/(35±5)%, and the ambient temperature and humidity should not deviate too much from this value.
Repeat the above tests several times, manually record the data from each test, and take the average value as the test result.
While the methods described above are not rigorous or precise, based on personal experience, they can at least help determine whether the quality of antistatic clothing is within acceptable limits.