EOS / ESD PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
ESD control plan
First, let's answer what an ESD/EOS/EIPD control program is. It is the documentation of basic principles, actions, and parameters that an organization should meet to safely produce a product or accept the risk if they are not implemented.
It is crucial that the ESD control program is approved at the management level and supported at lower organizational levels. Although lower levels will be responsible for its physical implementation, every employee, regardless of rank and position in the company, is responsible for the proper production process. Contrary to appearances, creating an effective system is not simple and does not end with creating a document signed by the CEO, management, or company owner. The number of pages and complexity of the control program also does not indicate its quality.
So where should we start? The first step should be to nominate a person responsible for the system, and that person is the ESD Coordinator. The higher their position, the better for the effectiveness of the tasks, but it is not a rule. Often it depends on the maturity of the organization and management. It may happen that an ESD Coordinator at the top of the organizational structure without management support and a real budget will be less effective than someone sharing duties with another position but having tools to enforce the created entries. Note that the ESD Coordinator position does not have to be fulfilled by a single employee. It is important that this person knows static electricity physics and electrostatic field behavior well. A common practice is for the role to be filled by, for example, a process engineer or quality engineer. This will depend on how large the organization is and often on specific customer requirements. For example in the automotive industry a dedicated ESD Coordinator / ESD Program Manager position is standard.
However, there is also the possibility of creating an ESD Coordinator position that shares other functions, supported by external companies specializing in securing the organization with appropriate knowledge and support. In many cases, this can be an excellent balance between the incurred costs and providing the knowledge and protection of production against ESD.
Once we have identified the person responsible for creating system solutions, we can define the requirements.
1. Determining which standard(s) we want to create our ESD control program according to. In this case, we encounter two primary documents. The European IEC 61340-5-1 standard and the American ANSI/ESD S20.20 standard. These documents will specify the technical and managerial requirements in further steps. For details on standards, see the "Standards and Documentation" section. Over the past few years, both documents have been harmonized, and most requirements are consistent. Even if we want to follow one standard, it is worth familiarizing ourselves with the differences and understanding their origins, as they may be crucial in our case.
2. Designating the EPA zone, the Electrostatic Protected Area. Creating EPA zones can cover single workstations or entire buildings. Establishing protected areas should depend on the specific characteristics of the plant. This decision is entirely up to us, being aware and remembering that its consequences will impact management, costs, required equipment, and its supervision.
When creating zones, remember a few basic principles:
This area must be clearly marked
Access should be restricted
Employees with access must be trained in ESD protection
Equipment, tools, and personnel must be systematically verified
Removal of materials that accumulate electrostatic charge in favor of conductive and electrostatic-dissipative materials
3. Personnel Training
Continuous improvement, training, and reminders about ESD protection principles are essential. Especially with the Central European mentality, where creativity and the ability to bypass established rules are at a world-class level. Therefore, it is crucial that the system is simple enough not to hinder work and not force such behaviors. Transmitting knowledge, but above all understanding the introduced changes, will facilitate self-control in the organization and simplify the system while increasing safety. Otherwise, prepare the organization for investments and high uncertainty.
4. Equipment and Packaging
When talking about equipment, we should think about all the elements that are in the EPA: employee equipment, devices at workstations, machines, and many others. The range and choice on the market are so broad that it is easy to "step on a mine." The choice of cheap or inappropriate equipment can undermine all efforts and generate significantly greater damages both financially and in terms of reputation.
A perfect example could be the use of an inappropriate ionizer at workstations. A poorly selected device can electrify products and create a much greater hazard than a station without an ionizer. One has to delve into the issue to the extent that even the type and frequency of the device's operation should be chosen. Otherwise, we will be exposed to damaging semiconductor elements and ESDS.
Another example is the use of “Conductive grid” type packaging, which might seem to meet the standard requirement for surface resistance measurements. However, upon closer inspection, the interior of this packaging often turns out to be ordinary insulating foil, which accumulates electrostatic charge. And it is this surface that directly contacts the ESD-sensitive components. Therefore, for packaging, additional requirements added in 2014 and 2016 should be considered.
5. Audits and Control
The primary goal of audits is to verify that the system works correctly and is a quality tool. For internal audits, it is not recommended to "paint the grass green" as it deprives us of the opportunity to improve emerging gaps. Systematic control and audits are the foundation of a healthy ESD protection system. The scope of verification possibilities is very broad, ranging from the use of devices for continuous grounding monitoring to semi-annual and annual verifications. In this case, it is important to establish the scope and responsibility of specific controls and corrective actions.
Additionally, it is recommended to commission external audits for self-control. For external audits, it is crucial to carry them out with an experienced auditor. When choosing an auditing company, particular attention should be paid to experience and aspects such as:
Knowledge and correct interpretation of standards, norms, technical reports
Access to the latest document revisions
Knowledge of production processes and the associated risks
Familiarity with equipment and measuring devices
Possession of the necessary equipment to perform measurements
Understanding the properties of materials used in static electricity protection
Ability to propose corrective solutions for non-compliance
The recommended frequency for such audits is around 2-3 years or after significant organizational changes as deemed necessary by the ESD coordinator. The reason for such recommendations is to become accustomed to certain behaviors that over time become routine and are no longer noticed.
Of course, this is only a brief overview of what we should pay attention to when creating an ESD protection management system. Usually, there are many paths to achieving safe production without choosing a better or worse route, but let's be ready to make some compromises sometimes.
Updated: 2024-11-29