HP 1660 manual Electrostatic Discharge, Generating Static

Maintenance & Service Guide

Presario 1660 Model

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Electrostatic Discharge

A sudden discharge of static electricity from a finger or other conductor can destroy static-sensitive devices or microcircuitry. Often the spark is neither felt nor heard, but damage occurs. An electronic device exposed to electrostatic discharge (ESD) may not be affected at all and will work perfectly throughout a normal cycle. Although, it may function normally for a while, then degrade in the internal layers, reducing its life expectancy.

Networks built into many integrated circuits provide some protection, but in many cases, the discharge contains enough power to alter device parameters or melt silicon junctions.

Generating Static

The table shows how different activities generate static electricity and at different electrostatic voltage levels.

Typical Electrostatic Voltages
	Relative Humidity
Event	10%	40%	55%
Walking across carpet	35,000 V	15,000 V	7,500 V
Walking across vinyl floor	12,000 V	5,000 V	3,000 V
Motions of bench worker	6,000 V	800 V	400 V
Removing DIPS from plastic	2,000 V	700 V	400 V
tubes
Removing DIPS from vinyl	11,500 V	4,000 V	2,000 V
trays
Removing DIPS from	14,500 V	5,000 V	3,500 V
Styrofoam
Removing bubble pack from	26,000 V	20,000 V	7,000 V
PCBs
Packing PCBs in foam-lined box	21,000 V	11,000 V	5,000 V
NOTE: 700 volts can degrade
a product.

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