What is ESD protected area?

“An ESD protected area (EPA) is an area that is equipped with the ESD control items required to minimize the chance of damaging ESD sensitive devices. In the broad sense, a protected area is capable of controlling static electricity on all items that enter that work area. Personnel and other conductive or dissipative items shall be electrically bonded together and connected to ground (or a common connection point when a ground is not available) to equalize electrical potential among the items. The size of an EPA can vary greatly. A protected area may be a permanent workstation within a room or an entire factory floor encompassing thousands of workstations. A protected area may also be a portable worksurface or mat used in a field service situation.

CLC/TR 61340-5-2:2008 Use guide clause 4.6 Protected areas (EPA)

The EPA serves the primary purpose of preserving the integrity of electronic components that can be adversely affected by static electricity, offering a critical safeguard in environments where electronic manufacturing, testing, and assembly occur.

How to establish an ESD Protected Area(EPA)?

Establishing an ESD Protected Area(EPA) involves the following steps:

1. Assess the Needs: Evaluate the electronic devices and components that require ESD protection in your work environment. Identify the areas where ESDに敏感なデバイス are handled or assembled.

2. Establish Grounding: Ensure proper grounding is in place by connecting all conductive surfaces, equipment, and personnel to a common ground point.

3. Use Conductive Flooring and Mats: Install conductive flooring or use conductive mats on the work surfaces. These materials help to safely dissipate any static electricity that may be generated. It is highly recommend to use a 表面抵抗計 to measure the surface resistivity of these materials, ensuring they have good static dissipation performance.

4. Provide Grounding Wrist Straps: Equip personnel working in the ESD protected area with grounding wrist straps. These straps connect the user to the common ground, preventing the buildup of static electricity on their body. Use ESDリストストラップテスター to ensure the wrist straps are working efficiently.

5. Implement Ionization: Consider using ionizers, which emit both positive and negative ions, to neutralize any static electricity in the air and on surfaces within the ESD protected area.

6. Maintain Cleanliness: Keep the ESD protected area clean and free from non-conductive materials, such as paper, plastics, or fabrics, which can generate static electricity.

7. Train Personnel: Educate and train all personnel working in the ESD protected area on the importance of ESD control measures and proper handling of sensitive electronic components.

8. Regularly Test and Monitor: Periodically test the ESD protected area to ensure the effectiveness of the grounding, conductivity, and other control measures. With ESDディフェンダーモニター, proper documentation and records of these tests can be maintained effectively.

By following these steps, you can effectively set up an ESD protected area that minimizes the risk of electrostatic discharge and safeguards sensitive electronic components and devices.

What is the “foundation” of esd safe areas?

製造環境における静電気の課題への対応

While static electricity may only cause minor inconveniences in our daily lives, it poses significant hidden dangers in industrial settings that require strict quality and safety control. For instance, in manufacturing environments, static electricity can give rise to various problems that threaten product quality and worker safety. As such, effectively addressing static electricity challenges has become a critical issue for these industries.

Find more information about how to address Addressing Static Electricity Challenges in Manufacturing Environments.