ESD Protection and Storage

[Tin Duc Vo]

Hey, what do you guys recommend for storing components safely? I have around 500 14dip / 8dip components coming, but I don't know what is necessary to store them long term. I'm planning to get this http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000HJBA1W/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB, antistatic foam, and antistatic static matt. Is this really necessary? Also, is there any cost-effective way to do away from the antistatic foam? The parts I want to store are passives, lcds, 74 logic, opamps, microcontrollers, arduinos, a smart multimeter, soldering supplies, etc. Thank you

[GreyWoolfe]

You should be fine with that you have coming.  just remember to label the drawers so you know what is in them.   I use antistatic foam for my chips.

[Tin Duc Vo]

What if I didn't used antistatic foam? :O. I usually just keep them in the tubes, but it's getting very disorganized lol. But ... oh man, placing 500 components on foam ..

[Kjelt]

The foam is the way to go. For a poor mans solution you can use soft carton or the green stuff where woman make artificial plant/flower pieces in and wrap with alu foil and press the chips in, the alu foil is the esd safety but would not recommend it.

[Holograph]

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Techspray/1756-8S/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtyU1cDF2RqUGOQrbjR2PgOb%2fDayo1aGN4%3d

Anti-Static Control Products LICRON CRYSTAL ESD AEROSOL 8oz

[Tin Duc Vo]

I see some slight sexism involving the green stuff . I like the ESD spray, but I guess that could leave my ICs very easily bent.
I have one more question. I believe that it's important to store with ESD in mind, but what about the ESD mat? Would it even help to have that when I'm using a WLC100, which doesn't use a ground pin on the iron?

[Holograph]

I believe that it's important to store with ESD in mind, but what about the ESD mat? Would it even help to have that when I'm using a WLC100, which doesn't use a ground pin on the iron?

Yes, it is still recommended, but its actual necessity may vary based on what your workbench is made of, whether you have carpet and if so its composition, your chair fabric, your clothes, etc.

[Tin Duc Vo]

It's gonna be a laminate or wooden workbench in the dry Canadian winters, but I guess it's irrelevant. I just realized I could get one for like $10 because of where my parents work. Well thanks everyone. Detail figured out .

[Tin Duc Vo]

To be clear, I don't need to ESD spray coat my cabinet if I used anti-static foam, do I?

[Holograph]

To be clear, I don't need to ESD spray coat my cabinet if I used anti-static foam, do I?

You should be fine without it, but I would try to keep IC leads from touching the plastic of the drawers, which should be doable easily enough. I think most people never use such sprays for anything.

[GreyWoolfe]

Unless you force the IC into the antistatic foam, the leads won't penetrate the foam and the chips will be safe in the drawers.  Cut the foam to fit the drawer dimensions.  You can even stack layers of chips in the drawers if you have a lot of them.  Just keep some sort of spreadsheet so you know what is in each drawer.  I have never heard of, let alone use, an antistatic spray.  I have stored 74LS series chips on the foam in plastic drawers for years without any issues.

[Teledog]

I've always stuck DIPs into white Styrofoam.. mind you I don't run around with them on the coldest/driest days of the year.
SMD components in watchmakers tins from Lee Valley..
I'm a bad man! 

[Kjelt]

I'm a bad man! 

Put some alu foil around the foam and you're good to go.
As it is now I wish you a lot of luck when you ever have to debug some project because of one esd damaged component that behaves sporadic, to locate and find esd damaged components can be a real pain.

[SeanB]

Easiest way to reduce static is to wash the drawers with a solution of fabric softener and let them air dry. Or live in a climate where even in winter humidity is over 60%. Only place I have static issues is at Makro, where the trolleys generate a static charge in winter from the AC being so good at drying the air inside. I have complained about this and the management are slowly fitting discharge chains to the trolleys, which works quite well. I did the same to trolleys at work where they did not have a static dissipative tyre.

[Tin Duc Vo]

Can I clean the residue off is that what does the magic?