Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) S20.20 Certification

about ANSI/ESD S20.20 Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Certification and why ESD Control is Integral to Product Quality

Damage to electrical and electronic systems and components from electrostatic discharge (ESD) represents a significant source of waste for the electronics industry, and it can compromise the quality and usefulness of electrical and electronic products. Part of overall electrical safety testing, a formal ESD facility control program can help reduce the incidence of component damage resulting from ESD, increase production throughput rates and minimize the likelihood of defect products reaching the market. ANSI/ESD S20.20 certification serves as an independent verification of the quality and effectiveness of an ESD control program.

TÜV SÜD America, a leading ISO 9001 Certification Body in North America, is one of just six Certification Bodies accredited to issue ESD S20.20 certificates.

First published in 1999, ANSI/ ESD S20.20 was created to help organizations design, develop, implement and maintain an electrostatic discharge control program to protect ESD-sensitive electrical or electronic parts, assemblies and equipment from being damaged by electrostatic discharges greater than or equal to 100 volts (human body model, or HBM) or 200 volts (charged device model, or CDM).

ANSI/ESD S20.20-2014 Protection of Electrical and Electronic Parts, Assemblies and Equipment (Excluding Electrically Initiated Explosive Devices) - This standard provides administrative and technical requirements for establishing, implementing, and maintaining an ESD Control Program to protect electrical or electronic parts, assemblies, and equipment susceptible to ESD damage from Human Body Model (HBM) discharges greater than or equal to 100 volts.

The ESD control program described in ANSI/ESD S20.20 can be applied in any activity involving the manufacture, processing, assembly, installation, packaging, labeling, servicing, testing, inspection, transportation or other handling of electrical or electronic parts, assemblies and equipment that may be susceptible to damage from electrostatic discharges above these limits.

ANSI/ESD S20.20 is based on these fundamental static control principles:

• All conductors in a given facility must be bonded or electrically connected and attached to a known ground or contrived ground;
• All necessary non-conductors in a facility cannot be allowed to lose their electrostatic charge by attachment to or connection with ground; and
• Moving or transporting ESD-sensitive items outside of an electrostatic discharge protected area requires the use of static protective materials.

Although the specific application of these principles may vary from facility to facility, they represent the essential requirements of the standard as it applies to the development of an appropriate ESD facility control plan.