Some effective solutions to ESD
Catastrophic failures from shorts or junction oxide failures caused by ESD in electronic components are generally picked up during the final testing process. It is, however, the latent defects that often have a greater impact on the overall reliability of the system, which is why a range of tactics should be adopted to minimise the risk of ESD throughout the supply chain.
The main way that ESD can be prevented is of course the use of a workstation. Grounding strips on shoes, workbenches and equipment can help reduce the risk of an ESD incident along with training aimed at educating staff on the common causes. However, a common ground plane is also necessary across all the areas in the factory to avoid problems.
The main solution to machine ESD is to ground the machine part or tool, but this can mean replacing multiple tools on an assembly line or adding grounding lines to the tool.
Charged-device ESD, on the other hand, can be addressed by using ionisers that generate streams of positive and negative ions in the air to prevent the build-up of a charge on the components themselves. Reducing the movement of parts around the factory, having reliable shielded containers and a common ground plane can also help reduce the impact of this type of ESD.
Alongside the grounding of the workstation, storage is a key issue. Anti-static bags can lose their ESD protection over time and containers for both parts and tools also need to protect against electrostatic build up.
Ionisers help avoid the build-up of charge on tools and workstations, but paying attention to both emitters and making sure there is an equal balance of positive and negative ions being generated is also important.
Ionisers can also provide information on static conditions and the status of equipment. Linking the ioniser diagnostic and performance data to factory management systems - as part of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) - can provide valuable information for greater reliability as well as safety evaluations and overall risk management.
Equipment designers are also taking ESD into account at the system level by adding circuit protection devices to protect against discharges, particularly in equipment with high-speed interfaces. Not only must the ESD protection be rated appropriately for the transient conditions, but the electrical parameters must also not introduce unwanted signal integrity issues on a data interface. Effective ESD protection – achieved by adding diodes to the system - typically features extremely fast response time, low operating and clamping voltage, low leakage current and low capacitance.
Finally, it is important to remember that, while all the tactics above can help protect against ESD issues out in the field when the equipment is operating, components can still be vulnerable at different stages of the assembly process. Therefore, keeping ESD at bay should remain a priority for machine builders and system integrators throughout the process.

Conclusion
There are many ways to tackle ESD across the electronics supply chain. Devices should be tested carefully after manufacture and then shipped and assembled with the ESD risks in mind. Designers can also add in high performance diodes without impacting on the overall performance of the equipment.
It is the assembly process, however, where the major risk lies. Human factors and education of assembly staff can reduce the risk of unseen damage to components, and integrating ionising equipment into factory-wide data management can help manage such risks further. All of this helps ensure that there is minimal impact on the reliability of equipment out in the field.