Reducing Failure Rates can be as Simple as Changing the Label

Most engineers are in shock once they learn conventional polyimide labels can generate as much as 10,000 volts of static when removed from the liner.

Estimates place electrostatic discharge (ESD) costs to the electronic industry at over $1 billion a year. The term ESD refers to the sudden transfer of a charge between objects at different electrostatic potentials. I occurs when two different materials are brought together and then separated. A familiar example is the "zap" experienced from walking across a carpet and touching a metal doorknob. This seemingly insignificant event can have serious, harmful effects on microelectronic devices. Companies with no anti-static precautions experience 20% or more product reject rates.

An ounce of prevention...

There are ways to reduce ESD. One approach is to design protection into electronic circuitry. Another way is to control the materials and procedures employed during manufacturing to keep static potentials and discharge currents low. Some well known methods include the use of a grounding strap and installing static-dissipative work surfaces. Studies have shown that for every $1 spent on ESD prevention, there is a $3 return on investment.

ESD can be controlled, but not eliminated

While controls can reduce ESD phenomenon to a manageable level, they by no means eliminate the problem. Customers are demanding higher speed and performance from integrated circuits. This trend is driving designers to use lower control voltages, increasing the potential for damage from static. This makes proper ESD protection difficult because effective protection circuitry, if not optimized, is large and contradicts miniaturization trends. With today's components, as little as 100 volts can be damaging and 1000 volts almost guarantees disaster. In addition, the move in manufacturing to forms of automatic handling further complicate ESD prevention since much of the machinery acts as an electrostatic generator.

Polyimide labels...potiential catastrophes

Polyimide, since it is a dielectric material, easily stores static. The manufacture, printing of the material and removal from the liner creates classic triboelectric effects. The potential results from human handling, or as a charged device, can be catastrophic. The placement or removal of a label from a finished board can generate up to 10,000 volts of static discharge.

99% ESD Reduction with Static Safe

StaticSafe labels use proprietary components to significantly reduce electrostatic discharge generated upon removal from the label liner (less than 100v) and circuit board (less than 500v). With StaticSafe labels you can manufacture more and worry less about static.

Contact us for your free Static Safe label samples.