EEVblog #247 - Anti Static Bag Myth Revisted

[onemilimeter]

Recently tried to understand stories behind ESD protection and Google search brought me to Dave EEVBLOG #247 video. Just watched the video and it's a nice video. I have a question and hope you guys will help...

Let's say there are two bags, denoted as Bag-A (which is non-antistatic) and Bag-B (which is antistatic, e.g. the pink bag shown in the video). If both bags are rubbed together, will charge build up on BOTH bags? Also, if Bag-A rubs against itself, will charge build up on Bag-A?

Many thanks.

[mfeinstein]

Dave, I just saw this video, and it's the first time I see one of the these Surface Voltage Meter...could you show this device again in some other video, explain how it works and how it differs from other equipment? Thanks!

[sergey]

Dave, I just saw this video, and it's the first time I see one of the these Surface Voltage Meter...could you show this device again in some other video, explain how it works and how it differs from other equipment? Thanks!

I'll actually vote for this as well Don't forget to take it apart!

Just recently run into need to measure the surface voltage (well, more out of curiosity than real production need) and wondered if it's doable without such a specific device. For sure operation of such device is google-able but guess there'll be lots more guys who'll consider video explaining this and showing the inner side of the meter interesting.

[Wim_L]

I recived a package today with ESD overkill, I had ordered a new trigger switch for an electric drill no speed control just plain 2 pole 1 way switch. It came in a grey anti static bag which was in turn inside an anti-static wrapping.

That can be a smart thing to do.

Non-ESD packaging material can be cheaper than the ESD stuff. But perhaps the costs of keeping supplies of both in inventory, the risk of someone accidentally using the wrong type where it does matter, and the cost of training people to use the right one, add up to more than the supplier would save on packaging material.

[jucole]

I got an ESD discharge simulator from ebay recently and zapped it into one of those anti-static pink bags; and not surprisingly the unit measured > 300 volts inside the bag.

 

[max666]

Sorry to bring this topic back from the dead 

I'm a non native English speaker and I'm having difficulties grasping what Dave meant by: "The tube provides some token protection also"


What does 'token protection' mean? Searching for 'token protection' turns out to be impossible, because of the ubiquitous use of the term in data security.

[Monkeh]

Sorry to bring this topic back from the dead 

I'm a non native English speaker and I'm having difficulties grasping what Dave meant by: "The tube provides some token protection also"


What does 'token protection' mean? Searching for 'token protection' turns out to be impossible, because of the ubiquitous use of the term in data security.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/token#Adjective

[helius]

In this context token means "measurable but not significant". From the sense of a token as a disc of cheap metal used as a placeholder for money in an arcade. It has some value, just not much.

[SeanB]

The anti static tubes are not really ESD protection, they are not conductive enough to keep the IC pins inside from seeing damaging voltage from ESD events, but are conductive enough so that they will prevent charge building up on the pins when you are handling them in an ESD workstation.

Thus they only provide protection from charge building up from handling, not full ESD protection from external voltage discharge. You still need to handle them as if they are static sensitive.

[max666]

Ah, got it!
Thanks guys