[time-nuts] Conducting Bench Top Material

[Charles P. Steinmetz]

Dave wrote:

>Back about 1981, we had piles of 6502s, etc and decide to some 
>"antistatic testing". We put a 40pin ZIF socket into a VIC-20, and 
>then set about trying to fry the uP using carpet, a cat, car seats, 
>etc. The DUT was then put back into the VIC and series of tests run 
>to verify operation. I don't think we ever had a failure. Of course, 
>there may have been some hiding that we missed, but all the static 
>damage I've seen has been pretty severe.
>
>That said, I always use a wrist strap and mat if I'm working on 
>something I don't want to break further.

Installed components are generally much less vulnerable to ESD than 
bare parts, because there are leakage paths (both intentional and 
otherwise) on a circuit board that allow the ESD to flow around the 
component rather than through it.  With a naked part, any ESD to one 
of its leads has to flow through its other leads or the case of the 
device, thereby maximizing any damage.

Best regards,

Charles