You always need to apply two heads --- the engineering head says,"Good engineering practice says you should test for ESD", but the compliance head only needs to meet the requirement of the standard, which clearly exempts points and ports NOT accessible by an OPERATOR.
Points and ports accessible for maintenace, installation and service need not be tested (compliance head). Points/ports that ARE accessible by the operator can be exempted by labeling -- i.e., ESD sensitive ports such as scope vertical amp inputs, RF antenna inputs, etc... Also specifically exempted from compliance to 61000-4-2 are inside battery compartments, which although accessed by the operator, are rarely accessed and when they do get into the battery compartment, the unit is inoperative.... Best Regards, Michael Hopkins Manager, EMC Technologies Thermo Electron Control Technology Division EMC & ESD Simulation Solutions One Lowell Research Center Lowell, MA 01852 Tel: +1 978 275 0800 ext. 334 Fax: +1 978 275 0850 [email protected] One Thermo, committed to integrity, intensity, innovation & involvement From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 5:58 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: ESD - not applicable ? If installation is normal usage, then should all those bare boards installed in PCs should be tested for ESD resistance in their bare state? Or is the distinction between a product and a component that goes into a product (though some may argue that, for example, a modem board is a product)? But I certainly agree that a product never handled by end users should still be ESD resistant to successfully make it through the installation process (even if not required). Don Borowski Schweitzer Engineering Labs Pullman, WA USA "Pettit, Ghery" <ghery.pettit@int el.com> To Sent by: <[email protected]>, owner-emc-pstc@ma <[email protected]> jordomo.ieee.org cc Subject 06/23/03 01:40 PM RE: ESD - not applicable ? Please respond to "Pettit, Ghery" <ghery.pettit@int el.com> And installation is normal usage. Now, it would be interesting to know just what type of product we’re talking about. Ghery Pettit Intel Corporation From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 1:05 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: ESD - not applicable ? Clause 8.3.1 of EN 61000-4-2 says "The static electricity discharges shall be applied only to such points and surfaces of the EUT which are acessible to personnel during normal usage." And it also says "The application of discharges to any point of the equipment which is assessible only for maintenance purposes, excluding customer's maintenance, is not allowed unless different prescription is given in the dedicated product specification." So, unless the product or family spec says otherwise, no testing is required if a product is touched only during maintenance other than customer maintenance. Richard Woods Sensormatic Electronics Tyco International -----Original Message----- From: Pettit, Ghery [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 2:59 PM To: [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: RE: ESD - not applicable ? Amund, CISPR 24 (and EN 55024) provides reasons to not perform various tests, but ESD doesn’t have any of these “outs”. I think you are entirely correct in wanting the test done. Like you, I have seen this to be one of the more applicable immunity tests (along with surge) and we test to higher levels, too. Did the lab explain how the equipment would be installed, if not touched by human hands? Ghery S. Pettit Intel Corporation -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 11:29 AM To: [email protected] Subject: ESD - not applicable ? ESD has always been in my view, one of the most applicable EMC tests . We tests all our products with higher levels than stated in the standards. Last week I visited a local test lab and they told me that " ..... you do not need to ESD test your new equipment because it will not be operated (no keys to press) by humans or not accessible for humans (installed minimum 2.5m above the floor level) .....". Well, I was a bit surprised, because you can easily climb up to it and during maintenance you may touch it. So, what's your interpretation for ESD and situation where it is not applicable? We'll carry out the ESD test anyway, because I have no intention to discuss this case with a number of world-wide certification bodies. 20 minutes testing and all parts are satisfied ....... if it pass ..... Best regards Amund Westin, Oslo / Norway This message is from the IEEE EMC Society Product Safety Technical Committee emc-pstc discussion list. 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