Experiment to educate ESD phenomena to engineers

Abstract

The demonstration of electrostatic discharges with the experiment described in the IEEE EMC Education manual [1] is excellent for education of personnel in production and handling of electronic equipment. To educate design and test engineers a device was built with additional elements. It now demonstrates the effect of a fast rise-time transient, shows how the phenomenon can be transported by wires or cabling and an introduces the diversion of the discharge by designing the path of least impedance. A metal base-plate was added for portability and to serve as a defined target for discharges.