This is merely a comment on the distant past regarding ESD.
I joined IBM in 1963, well before the present FCC regulations for
EMI of ITE and other "digital" products operating at 10kHz or above.
As I recall, the predominant EMC problem in those days was ESD
between operators of office equipment and our products.
The combination of carpet fabrics, shoe sole material, dry climates,
and high EMS of the products resulted in numerous field complaints.
It was not unusual for EMC engineers to make frequent field trips to
determine the nature of pervasive ESD issues with a particular
product, then spend many hours back in the lab trying to ESD-
proof the product.
As I recall, IBM (Poughkeepsie?) developed an internal ESD tester for
tabletop discharges, the one with the four vanes etc. Other IBM
development labs would order these units from the originating lab.
Later on, IBM must have sold or given the design rights away as these
were later offered for sale by outside vendors.
Nowadays we tend to focus so much attention on EMI regulations that
ESD seems a lesser evil until it results in rampant field problems.
Just the recollections of an old timer......................
George Alspaugh
Lexmark International Inc.
p.s. Donald Bush, retired IBMer, knows far more of this history than I do
as he spent his entire career in EMC at the IBM Lexington, KY facility.
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