PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-719

PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly

ISSUE 719

OCTOBER 2012
PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-719 - Page 26 of 33
48
PS 719
OCT 12
Static-safe Workstations
Protect your circuit cards
from ESD. Handle them only
at a static-safe workstation
that includes a grounded,
static-dissipative table mat,
Foor mat and wrist strap.
They are designed to limit
static buildup and carry
already existing charges
to ground. Here’s what’s
generally available:
•
will bring you a static-
dissipative
table mat,
common point ground
system, and an adjustable
wrist strap for use in all
areas other than clean
rooms or laminar Fow
booths.
•
gets you a
portable work
surface,
common point
ground system, and an
adjustable wrist strap for
use where other static
control stations are not
available.
•
NSN 5920-01-253-5368 brings a
Feld service kit
that has:
- three pouches,
MIL-DTL-81997, type II,
12 x 10 inches
- three barrier bags,
MIL-PRF-81705, type III,
12 x 10 inches
- two wrist straps, one
grounding cord and a
work surface mat
What Causes ESD?
ESD comes from electrically charged objects in your work area: Clothing, rugs,
chairs, paper, ordinary packaging materials, or the work surface itself.
But the main source of ESD is you.
You build up thousands of volts of static
electricity by doing things like walking
across the Foor or combing your hair.
Then, just by touching a circuit card,
you’ll discharge static electricity, often
without realizing it.
A spark as little as 30 volts ruins a
sensitive electronic device. You may not
feel the discharge or see the damage, but
you can bet it has happened. The circuit
card may fail now or be weakened
enough to fail later.
Instructions for a self-test and how to use
the kit are printed on the work-surface mat.
Electrostatic Discharge…
Circuit Cards
Can’t Stand
the
S
h
o
c
k
!
Electrostatic
discharge (ESD), the
discharge of static
electricity,
destroys or
degrades
transistors,
resistors and
integrated circuits of
circuit cards.
ESD can happen during
packing, shipping,
handling or installation
of circuit cards.
n
o
o
o
!
Use safe
pouches
Get a portable mat
Handle circuit cards
only at static-safe
workstation
ESD is a
KiLler!
719 48-49.indd
1-2
8/27/12
4:45 PM
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