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Mission Success Starts With Safety GSFC Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Control Program Are you plugged in? Jeannette Plante, Program Manager, Code 300

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Mission Success Starts With Safety Why Do ESD Events Occur? Electrical charge spreads across a surface and builds up. Once the item comes in contact with an electrical ground, the charge has a circuit to move in and a Discharge occurs: Person touches electronic part or electronic board Electrical cables are attached to instrument Soldering iron touches electronic part lead Electronic board is placed on shelf or table An electronic part slides out of a shipping tube onto a workbench surface The moving charge is current. When current moves in a medium heat is produced. High current can destroy the circuit path (fuse). Sensitive electronics in the circuit path will be destroyed by high discharge currents. An electronic Parts sensitivity to ESD is called its ESD Sensitivity Level.

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Mission Success Starts With Safety Source: White Paper 2: A Case for Lowering Component Level CDM ESD Specifications and Requirements, Industry Council on ESD Target Levels, March 2009 An ESD event is a sudden discharge of stored voltage (charge) through a circuit path to ground. ESD damage can result in instantaneous or delayed failure. Working conditions determine event type. Event type determines protection method.

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Mission Success Starts With Safety

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The goal is to: Prevent charge accumulation Charge accumulation is avoided, electric fields are monitored and controlled. Enable accumulated charge to discharge with a controlled, low current. Dissipative materials are used to enable accumulated charges to readily find a gentle discharge path that keeps current low.

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Mission Success Starts With Safety 6 Ground connections Furniture Humans Test Equipment Surface resistance Neutralizing charge Ionizers Humidity Operator behaviors Assurance methods Verifications Certifications Records Training Special methods

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Mission Success Starts With Safety ESD Sensitivity Level Designations Human Body ModelCharged Device Model Class 0