Electrostatic discharge and its consequences are an inherent problem for the electronics industry. Large manufacturing plants minimize this risk by creating, properly equipping and maintaining so-called EPA zones. In this paper we will look at selected pieces of equipment developed for such zones, which, due to their affordability, can also be successfully used in small service companies, workshops and home electronic workshops.
Electrostatic discharge, abbreviated in English as ESD, is the transfer of charges between objects of different electrical potentials. Electrostatic charges are created when two different materials are rubbed together or moved apart. Everyday examples of such situations include walking on a synthetic floor, rubbing synthetic clothes, moving plastic containers or unrolling adhesive tape.
Discharges of this type are characterized by high voltages, which can reach up to 30 kV at humidity levels below 20%. Values of this order easily damage electronic components. As an example, we can cite ESD sensitivity for selected components: VMOS – 30-1800V, MOSFET – 100-200V, GaAsFET – 100-300V, EPROM – 100V, JFET 140-7000V.
Damage to components can, of course, be costly. This risk, in professional companies in the electronic package manufacturing and repair industry, is commonly reduced by creating properly designed and equipped anti-static protection zones – EPA (Electrostatic Protected Area). Such zones are created by separating spaces where work can only be carried out with proper procedures and with specially designed equipment, tools, furniture and work clothes.
In this paper, we will look at a selection of professional EPA zone equipment available on the Polish market, which, due to their affordability, can also be successfully applied in small service companies, workshops and home electronic workshops.
Discussing the issue – like building a workstation should start with industrial furniture. An excellent example that fits the theme of this paper is REECO anti-static furniture. It is a Polish brand gaining increasing recognition among professionals around the world. In 2020, it entered the markets of Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland and Switzerland, to name a few. Despite the recognition, the furniture remains an affordable solution compared to foreign solutions.
Workstations created with this system are vertically built. This means that their construction, based on a support frame and placed above the tabletop and in front of the user, makes it possible to place within its scope all the equipment and tools that would normally take up space on the floor or in the space next to the workstation. Furthermore, the solutions are modular, meaning that they can be freely configured and adapted to almost any work organization. This allows work tools and components to be set up within reach of the user so that he or she has easy access to them.
There is a wide range of available shelves, bins, panels and mounting brackets designed to allow them to be used in the widest range of situations. This allows the user to perform their tasks faster, without wasting time looking for things and moving around. This increases the efficiency of their work and reduces the risk of accidents related to e.g. their sudden movements with loads.
There is a wide range of available shelves, bins, panels and mounting brackets designed to allow them to be used in the widest range of situations. This allows the user to perform their tasks faster, without wasting time looking for things and moving around. This increases the efficiency of their work and reduces the risk of accidents related to e.g. their sudden movements with loads. Another very important advantage of the REECO furniture system is its modularity and maintaining compatibility over the years.
This allows users to invest only in the components they currently need, knowing that if they need to modify their stand, they can dismantle the structures they already have and add new ones at any time. Full availability of products to the customer – about 100% of standard items in stock – is a key element of the policy of the manufacturer, RENEX Group. This allows great comfort for customers, who can respond to their needs even overnight, and distinguishes the manufacturer from imported solutions. At the same time, thanks to the potential of a domestic manufacturer with adequate technological facilities and experience, it is possible to manufacture in a short time to the customer’s order elements outside the offer, but nevertheless compatible with standard REECO modules. The quality of REECO system components is largely due to the raw materials used. The furniture is manufactured from steel.
It is the very nature of the material that makes them much more durable and less prone to deformation than aluminum alternatives. Also of great importance is the protective coating applied and giving anti-static properties. The production of the furniture is equipped with the same system of surface preparation and protection that is used to manufacture components in the aerospace industry. This allows them to be used without additional painting for up to 30 years. At the same time, the furniture is a specialized product designed for use in EPA zones where electrostatic discharge-sensitive electronics are produced. For this reason, they are all coated with world-class coatings with anti-static properties. The electronics manufacturing and repair industry is keenly aware of the importance of using high-end ESD protection.
In addition to REECO’s key for basic workstations, the REECO Antistatic Table, the extensive REECO product range also includes complete modular furniture sets, such as tables, trolleys, cabinets, shelving or ESD chairs. In terms of anti-static protection, anti-static mats and wrist bands are an excellent addition to the workstation. They allow you to further protect the work field from the formation of electrostatic discharges dangerous to some electronic components. The cost of such a band starts from as little as PLN 7-10 and, depending on the accessories, ends at PLN 50-60. Connected by a copper wire to the ground or grounding point, the so-called EBP (Earth Bonding Point) prevents charge transfer. However, a common misconception is that it is sufficiently protected only by the use of a hand-held clamp or anti-static mat on the table top. Meanwhile, all international standards emphasize the need for special clothing with antistatic properties as well. As we will show in the following example, also in this area, specialized products are available on the Polish market at prices that allow their use even by small and medium-sized enterprises or non-professional users.
REECO’s anti-static clothes are Polish products that, like the anti-static furniture discussed earlier, are gaining the trust of electronics professionals worldwide, while remaining affordable solutions for domestic customers. In 2020 alone, the manufacturer – RENEX Group – expanded their distribution network to, among others, the United States, Ecuador and Saudi Arabia. Key to the brand’s growth in Poland and abroad, however, is not so much the price of the products as their very high quality. These are garments created for everyday work in manufacturing plants, where risk-conscious employers realize that lower-quality products can pose unnecessary risks of product defects. Simple shortcomings, such as threads sticking out of the seams, poorly made anti-static fabric that will lose its properties after a few washes, can become a threat affecting the quality of products. Many cases are known where defectively made garments have become the reason for wasting the results of months of research, or even led to a dangerous final product.
Created with such a high rigor of quality, REECO clothing, quite obviously, can also be successfully used in the operations of smaller entities. REECO’s range of clothing is very broad, as it includes a wide range of T-shirts, Polo shirts, sweatshirts, aprons, helmets, pants, overalls, footwear and gloves, among others, in a wide spectrum of cuts and colors. The manufacturer also makes it possible to individualize the garments, e.g. by patches or embroidery with name, surname and tenure. The range is complemented by summer clothing made in accordance with standards, made of suitable, tested and certified material, which provides adequate breathability while maintaining ESD properties. Polo shirts by REECO are sewn from Pika knit fabric consisting of 99% cotton. The T-Shirt, on the other hand, is made from a cotton-polyester blend called elan-cotton.
Summary
As can be seen from the above-discussed examples, professional EPA zone equipment components are available on the Polish market, which being affordable can be successfully applied also in small service companies, workshops and home electronic workshops. This allows even in the course of small-scale operations to successfully apply professional solutions – minimizing the risk of defects caused by electrostatic discharges. The manufacturer of REECO solutions is RENEX Group – one of the largest and longest-established Polish companies providing support for the electronics industry. In addition to the products listed, the Group provides a comprehensive range of products and services in the field of antistatic protection – ESD and other equipment for production and service facilities. The Group also offers EPA zone audits, technical consulting, training including courses in antistatic protection and IPC standards, warranty and post-warranty service, and a wide range of consulting services and customized projects. With a high inventory in Poland, the Group fulfills orders for standard offer items even in 24 hours.