Homebrew PCBs

At 05:41 PM 12/23/2011, Steve wrote:
>Thanks everyone for the thoughts regarding the polyethylene/nylon PCB
>holder and the ramifications regarding damage to ESD sensitive devices.
>I think I'm going to pass on this particular holder.
>
>One of the responses mentioned the use of the Panavise PCB holder. The
>Panavise in my case would be sitting on an ESD mat and I'd be using a
>grounding strap. Is that a viable environment for working with PCB's
>that use ESD sensitive devices?

Yep.

Our workbenches are covered with a static-dissipative surface which 
is extremely durable.  We check the surface resistivity yearly and 
have found no degradation over the past 15 or 20 years.  There was 
some initial degradation over the first couple of years but the 
manufacturer assured us that was normal.  Looks like they were right 
- the surface resistivity has remained essentially unchanged since 
that initial period.

I don't wear a wrist-strap.  Instead, I wear static-dissipative shoes 
and stand on an ESD mat.  Side note - you have NO idea how hard it 
was to find the combination of slip-on shoes with safety-rated steel 
toes and static-dissipative.  But find them I did - J B Goodhue 
'Officer' series shoes.  Get them at <www.shuzonline.com> .

You don't need to be scared of ESD - it truly is easily managed.  The 
important thing to remember is to keep everything that you are 
working on at the same potential.  In general, that means touching a 
ground point on anything that you are going to poke around 
inside.  Similarly, if you are going to hand a static-sensitive 
device to another person, make sure that you touch that person first 
before handing over the device.

When you walk up to your workbench, touch a ground point before 
touching anything on the bench.  The whole idea is to eliminate 
voltage differences between you and anything that you touch.

dwayne

-- 
Dwayne Reid   <dwayner@...>
Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd    Edmonton, AB, CANADA
(780) 489-3199 voice          (780) 487-6397 fax
www.trinity-electronics.com
Custom Electronics Design and Manufacturing