OK, so you'll only accept solid evidence from people who don't have the equipment nor money to really investigate failures.
Got it.
So, any hobbyists out there with an electron microscope in their garage?
I consider not taking ESD precautions for most modern equipment like I do crossing the street blindfolded. Most streets, I'm probably going to be OK most of the time. Other streets, I'll almost certainly die. But I don't want to get hit by a car, so I take off the blindfold.
So when I'm working on a computer, I set boards inside the case or into an antistatic bag rather than setting them on a table or on a carpeted floor. I keep my hand or a bare arm on the case. When I worked on TVs, I wasn't nearly as careful until they started using CMOS chips. When I'm building something, it depends on the parts involved. A TTL chip or TTL 555 timer? My wood bench is fine. If the part is CMOS or expensive, I put more care into ESD protection.
But I'm not covering myself in foil. I just make sure I touch the bench before I touch the part. If I am working on an ESD dissipative mat, I always touch the mat first.
I just look a little OCD but it really isn't an inconvenience.
Lots of time and effort has been put into toughening ICs against ESD but they aren't entirely bulletproof. So what is wrong with taking a few precautions?
Rub your shirtsleeve against a piece of plastic you are considering as a PCB holder, then see if it can make the hair on the back of your hand rise up. Some plastics are so bad I can hear them crackle as they discharge to my hand.
There are about a gazillion ways to die, so put on your blindfold because it is time to cross the street.
BTW, I've not read all of this thread yet but I see two non-statistical non-production line stories of what looks like ESD failure. But there were no accompanying electron microscope images.
Steve Greenfield AE7HD
--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Stefan Trethan <stefan_trethan@...> wrote:
>
> There are about a gazillion reasons why the milling machine controller
> might go haywire,
snip
> Now, any more examples of even suspected ESD damage anyone? Again, no
> production line stories please! Home shop or development lab only, I
> do not want to argue about one-in-a-million events.
>
>
> ST
>
>
>
> On Sat, Dec 24, 2011 at 10:39 AM, John Dammeyer <johnd@...> wrote:
>
> > Not everyone who builds PCBs at home builds frivolous projects that do no
> > harm when they fail. A failed milling machine controller that has the
> > table move erratically destroys a tool bit snapping it off and flinging it
> > across the room or into someone is always a possibility, even if small.
> >
>