Years ago I had the opportunity of working with a top flight consultant on ESD and the human-body model. The only manufacturer that produced an ESD simulator that ACCURATELY reflected the Human Body pulse was Andy Hish. The ESD simulators today produce a facimile of the true ESD event in the interest of test consistency.
Of all the simulators I have tried, I like the Schaffner. I find the controls easy to use - it even has a counter. This is of most importance to someone as easily distracted as me!! Most of all I like that fact the 10cm separation between the EUT (tabletop) and the gun is built into the design. Very nice. Charles Grasso EMC Engineer StorageTek Tel:(303)673-2908 Fax(303)661-7115 >---------- >From: dmck...@paragon-networks.com[SMTP:dmck...@paragon-networks.com] >Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 1997 7:06 AM >To: emc-p...@majordomo.ieee.org >Subject: Re: ESD Simulators > >dlo...@advanced-input.com wrote: >> >> My company is looking to purchase some ESD Simulators. There are basically >> three manufacturers worldwide of this type eqiupment, and ESD guns are not >> cheap. I am interested in hearing of any experiences or information, good >> or bad, anyone has had with particular models of ESD Simulators. Since >>this >> may not be an appropriate open forum discussion topic, responses can be >> off-line. >> >> Thanks >> Darrell Locke >> Advanced Input Devices > >Hi Darrell, >Long ago in a land far away when I first started compliance, I worked >for a company that used a homebrew ESD thing made from a flyback coil >from a tv set that could literally kill you. They had started using >this thing on products due to numerous complaints from customers >concerning ESD events in a carpeted office environment. Theory was >at the time (from the two gentlemen that ran the lab both had EE Ph.D.s) >if the product could survive that, it'd survive anything. > >I bought a Keyteck Mini-Zapper and things settled down. I changed jobs >and at the new company bought another Mini-Zapper. But, I soon ran into >trouble at that time for there was (at one point in time) the need for >three seperate guns (three seperate human models) for Bellcore, and >IEC-801 series testing. I stayed with the the MiniZapper arguing that >the IEC series was "more" valid than something from Bellcore due to >it based upon law. Bellcore is not based upon law. It is allowed >to be interpreted any way the two parties agree. Still not satisified, >the customer protested and I rented from GE rental a Schaffner NSG >ESD gun (the specific model number escapes me but I'm sure someone >will know exactly what it is) that was more in line with everyone. >Before I left that company, it was to be regular policy to rent >equipment as needed rather than buy. At the time I supported that >decision. > >Now, at yet another company, the lab I go to uses a Compliance Design >device (again the model number escapes me). I am still supporting >rentals and that falls into the Schaffner series when needed. >Calibration, >updating to any changes for another human model (I don't think this >will happen soon), and storage during downtime I incur upon the rentee. > >Regards, Doug >
