E.S.D.

Electrostatic Discharge -- E.S.D. occurs when electrostatic charges, also known as static electricity, builds up when two insulating materials are rubbed together causing electrons to be rubbed off one surface onto another.

This static charge may just startle the unsuspecting finger but to a transistor and to integrated circuits, that little zap of a few hundred volts can damage the ultra sensitive components inside your computer.

The keyboard is the most touched computer component and therefore vulnerable to E.S.D. To reduce the occurrence of E.S.D. you can place a static grounding strip on the edge of any desk with PC’s. By touching the grounding strip before touching anything else you will dissipate any electrostatic charges.

If you are installing non mounted integrated circuits and circuit boards you should take the following precautions prior to install:

• Make sure power is turned off, but leave the power cord plugged in. This will ensure that the computer chassis is grounded through the power cord.
• Touch the back panel before opening the chassis; this drains off any static charges that might be in your body.
• Once chassis is opened, touch the chassis again before removing any components.
• Leave new component in its anti static bag until just before installing.
• With one hand, hold new component, still in its anti static bag, and with the other hand touch chassis. Do this to eliminate any static that may exist on the outside of the bag.
• If you need to leave the work area during the installation process you need to touch the chassis upon return.

Using these techniques will reduce the likelihood of doing any damage to the system.

Your floors can promote static build up. You can treat your existing floors with anti static sprays, but when choosing new carpeting look for conductive carpet which is recommended for PC users. Most chair mats are electrical insulators creating static build up at your workstations. There are special static-dissipate chair mats.

This information is important for Michigan businesses because cold climates can escalate E.S.D. problems. Make sure your furnace is working properly to reduce relative humidity by adding moisture to the air. You may need to add a humidifier to have the proper low static environment for your PC.