Cognex DataMan ESD safety code readers apply anti-static protection

        Because electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a sudden flow of static electricity between two objects, it can cause costly and dangerous damage to a variety of industries such as electronics, automotive, biotech and pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and semiconductors. ESD can damage electronic equipment, causing spark explosions or fires in flammable environments and causing data failure. According to the ESD Association, ESD costs the electronics industry billions of dollars every year by impacting yield, product quality and consumer satisfaction.

Static electricity, also known as electrostatic discharge, is usually generated by the contact and separation of materials during the triboelectric generation process. For example, when you walk across a carpet, the interaction between the carpet and your shoes causes the carpet to lose electrons, making it positively charged, while your shoes gain electrons, making it negatively charged. During an electrostatic discharge, such as through a metal doorknob that acts as a conductor, you can feel a shock as static electricity is discharged from your body.

The amount of electricity generated by triboelectricity depends on many factors, including contact area, material properties, material separation speed, and relative humidity. In addition to triboelectricity, there are other less common forms of static electricity, including induction, ion bombardment, and contact with other charged objects.

Although electrostatics is measured in units of volts, engineers typically focus on the electrostatic potential between materials, which is measured in volts and depends on charge, spatial layout, and distance between materials. For example, when a person walks on a carpet, 1,500V of static electricity can be generated when the relative humidity (RH) is 65% to 90%, and 35,000V of static electricity can be generated when the relative humidity is 10% to 20%. In contrast, electrostatically sensitive (ESDS) electronic components, such as hard drives, can be damaged by a 10V electrostatic discharge event.

Damage to electronic parts and equipment caused by electrostatic discharge

Damage caused by electrostatic discharge is divided into catastrophic damage and potential damage. Disaster damage means the equipment can no longer function properly. Latent damage means that equipment can continue to operate after an electrostatic discharge, but will gradually become damaged or fail earlier.

Damage caused by static electricity to static-sensitive parts and equipment can be divided into the following three modes:

Human Body Model (HBM) for transferring electrostatic discharge from the human body to electrostatically sensitive devices

Machine Mode (MM) is used to transfer charge from a charged conductive object such as a metal tool or fixture to an electrostatically sensitive device

Charged Device Mode (CDM) is used to transfer charge from static-sensitive devices to conductors, such as when static-sensitive devices are handled or contacted or separated from packaging materials, work surfaces, or machine surfaces. Static charge can accumulate on the device.

Static Protection

Because even small amounts of ESD can damage static-sensitive equipment, ESD must be managed throughout a product's lifecycle, from manufacturing and testing to shipping, handling, and field service. Methods to protect static-sensitive equipment include using:

Anti-static workstation

Anti-static wrist strap

Anti-static clothing

Conductive or static dissipative flooring materials and footwear

Anti-static paint

Humidity control and air stillifier

Anti-static bag

Static electricity measurement tools, such as voltmeters and field strength meters, to monitor static electricity levels

Automatic monitoring equipment and code readers for electrostatic discharge events

Cognex Static Protection Support

Cognex's DataMan ESD-safe handheld and fixed barcode reader series is a broad range of industrial barcode reader products. All housing parts are made of anti-static plastic, and all optical parts are coated with anti-static coatings to avoid electrostatic sensitivity. Parts are damaged.

Cognex ESD-safe code readers meet the electrostatic safety requirements in accordance with IEC 61340-5-1:2016. This standard applies to electronic or electrical parts, assemblies and equipment that are manufactured, processed, assembled, installed, packaged, labeled, serviced, tested, inspected, transported or handled with an isolated conductor withstand voltage greater than or equal to 100VHBM, 200VCDM and 35V.