Electro Static Discharge is discharge of static charge. Electrical charge can be created by friction such as motion or airflow. An ESD adhesive or cast floor solves this. Highcare has both screed and adhesive floors in its product range. We make a choice depending on the type of cleanroom.
Objects and people can become statically charged. If this static charge is released at sensitive electronic equipment, direct but also indirect damage can occur, which can later lead to unexplained malfunctions. This discharge is called Electro Static Discharge, ESD.
When assembling high-quality assemblies, equipment can already be damaged at lower voltages, such as 100V or even less. An ESD floor in cleanrooms helps eliminate this risk.
ESD flooring in a clean room
If a component is hit by an electrostatic discharge during the assembly of high-performance electronic equipment, damage may occur. If the damage caused is latent, it cannot be directly measured or otherwise detected. There is a high risk that malfunctions, which are difficult to trace, will occur during operation of this damaged equipment. The costs involved can be many times the price of the equipment, for example an altimeter in an aircraft.
Damage caused by ESD
The literature describes examples of damage caused by ESD. A voltage of 5V can already cause irreparable damage at a read/write head, while 50V is enough to ignite a spark in explosive gases. An ESD floor in cleanrooms solves this.
Paste or Cast Flooring
By continuously dissipating static charge, discharge can no longer occur. This requires a number of measures. Such as equipping the cleanroom operators with special tools, by having them wear conductive wristbands, which are grounded to the assembly table, but especially by making the slab or cast floor conductive and grounded. In this way, static electricity is continuously dissipated and accumulation cannot occur.