Why is it necessary to eliminate and reduce static electricity in production workshops?
Static electricity protection and control is no longer simply a matter of matching anti-static products; it's a systematic undertaking involving all stages of the manufacturing, assembly, handling, inspection, testing, repair, packaging, transportation, storage, and use of sensitive electronic products. It operates in a series, meaning that a mistake in any stage will lead to the failure of the entire protection effort. Furthermore, it is directly related to the environment in which the sensitive products are located (the objects they come into contact with, the air atmosphere, humidity, the floor, workbenches, chairs, processing equipment, tools, etc.) and the attire of the operators (including clothing, hats, shoe polish, gloves, wristbands, etc.). Any oversight or error in any of these aspects will result in the failure of static electricity protection, ultimately causing incalculable losses. It requires establishing a complete protection system under strict standards and specifications, including design, operation, inspection, internal audits, and training. This work may involve various relevant departments.
1. First, define the scope of the static electricity sensitive area; within this area, the company's static electricity control procedures must be followed and implemented. This includes prohibiting the bringing of unnecessary static-generating substances into this area, such as general plastic products and polystyrene foam.
1. The best way to reduce static electricity generation is to minimize the presence of unnecessary insulating materials in the work area. (Insulating materials are non-conductive, are themselves high sources of static electricity, and easily generate electrostatic fields.)
2. To prevent static electricity and electrostatic fields, appropriate protective measures must be taken in the work area, such as conductive flooring and conductive wax; personnel must wear anti-static shoes with anti-static soles and anti-static clothing. In particular, plastic parts on metal tools are not permitted in the electrostatic protection area. Soldering irons, desoldering pumps, and testing equipment must have special anti-static designs; and unauthorized equipment must not be brought into the protected area.
3. Secondly, avoid loose, draping clothing and accessories touching sensitive components – maintain a distance of at least 6 inches (15 cm) between static-sensitive components and clothing.
4. A common misconception is that high humidity can solve the static electricity problem, so other methods to reduce static electricity generation are unnecessary. This is incorrect. While high humidity can reduce the generated static electricity to a level unbearable for the human body, it is not always the best approach. Touch can detect static electricity, but it's still enough to damage sensitive components. The correct understanding is that high humidity suppresses static electricity generation, while low humidity increases it.
5. Always pay attention to the electrostatic discharge (ESD) safety zone markings in your work environment. If you enter these areas, follow the company's ESD protection procedures, including keeping all people and objects that may generate static electricity out of the protected area.
Also, check and confirm that all sensitive components passing through the ESD protection zone have appropriate and clearly visible ESD protection markings; however, do not assume that components without markings are ESD-safe.
6. While it's possible to determine which devices are ESD-sensitive, it's good practice to treat all electronic components and assembly operations as ESD-sensitive. Maintaining strict ESD protection procedures for all components you handle and making it a routine task is easier than treating individual components differently.