Static Control Testing
The first step to ensuring an ESD safe environment is reliable testing. We at Bondline pride ourself on delivering accurate and detailed antistatic testing and certification for a wide range of EPA setups.
- Resistance (Ohms), e.g. Resistance-to-Ground/Earth, Point-to-Point, for common grounding of personnel and equipment.
- Body Voltage (V/kV), e.g., Human Body Model (HBM) Walk Test, to measure the static generation and retention of an electrostatic charge when walking across any given floor with any given footwear.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to testing and understanding of static control properties, we need to understand exactly what properties are required.
Here are some key propeties that are measured for ESD standard compliance:
- Antistatic - minimal retention of an electrostatic charge
- Low Charging - minimal generation of an electrostatic charge through the tribocharge effect
- Conductive - the ability to conduct a charge away through a low resistance material, e.g. <1 x 106Ohms
- Dissipative - the ability to conduct a charge away through a higher resistance material, e.g. <1 x 109Ohms
- Insulative - a resistance that is so high that grounding / earthing is ineffective or impossible
Here are some of the most common Standards that are referenced for static control flooring and grounding of personnel with appropriate footwear:
- Static Control Standard IEC61340-5-1, sub-Standards:
- IEC61340-4-1, Resistance-to-Ground (RG)
- IEC61340-4-5, Human Body Model (HBM) Voltage Walk Test
- IEC-TS-61340-5-4, Compliance Verification
- IEC61340-4-1, Resistance-to-Ground (RG)
- Static Control Standard ANSI/ESD S20.20, sub-Standards:
- ANSI/ESD STM 7.1, Resistance-to-Ground (RG)
- ANSI/ESD STM 97.2, Human Body Model (HBM) Voltage Walk Test
Note: IEC61340 and ANSI/ESD S20.20 are considered technically equivalent.
- ANSI/ESD STM 7.1, Resistance-to-Ground (RG)
- AS 1884:2021, Floor coverings – Resilient sheet and tiles – Installation practices
- AS/NZS 1020:2023, The control of static electricity in non-hazardous areas
- SA TS 60079.32.1:2022
- AS/NZS IEC60079.32.2: 2022