Wasn't life so much easier with valves (tubes)... :-)
Steve 2010/1/27 Bob Camp <li...@cq.nu>: > Hi > > If you are manually loading up a wire bonder with conventional CMOS chips, > ESD damage is a very real thing. You can haul the chip over to a SEM and > actually take pictures of he craters you blast in it. Very cool pictures. No > cat's, carpets, or Windhurst machines needed. Just normal operators with > missing wrist straps will do the trick quite nicely. > > Bob > > > On Jan 26, 2010, at 2:21 AM, d.sei...@comcast.net 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. >> >> -Dave >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Charles P. Steinmetz" <charles_steinm...@lavabit.com> >> To: "Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement" >> <time-nuts@febo.com> >> Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 11:27:11 AM GMT -07:00 US/Canada Mountain >> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Conducting Bench Top Material >> >> Bruce wrote: >> >>> Although over the years the non-conductive top has been an asset in >>> avoiding short circuits, etc., I am concerned about static discharges when >>> handling modern semiconductors. Would it make sense to spray the Masonite >>> with a weak copper sulphate or similar solution so as to make the masonite >>> slightly conductive, but not so conductive that 155 VAC connections >>> could not >>> safely rest upon it? Is there a better-suited material that could be used >>> to replace the Masonite? >> >> I notice that many folks who have contributed on this thread use >> anti-static benchtops, but I have never found it necessary (and I try >> to keep the RH in my house under 45% -- it is generally 20% or less >> in the winter). I've been fooling with static-sensitive parts for 35 >> years and haven't lost one to static yet. With that perspective, my >> preferred benchtop is white Formica with a very, very slightly >> pebbled surface. Very durable, including to molten solder, and small >> parts show up well. I use rubberized "gunsmith" mats for preventing >> scratches to delicate workpieces (these happen to be anti-static, but >> that is not why I have them). >> >> Other bench thoughts: >> >> Bench depth is very important. I sometimes work on equipment that is >> more than 24" deep, so I want at least 30" of clear space in front of >> any obstructions (power strips, Variac, test equipment, >> whatever). In the past, I used a "flying bridge" over the rear 18" >> of a 48"-deep bench to elevate the test equipment, which worked very >> well. Now I use 24" deep adjustable wire-rack shelving units behind >> a 30" benchtop (As others have pointed out, you can do the same with >> equipment racks -- I'm not a fan of rack-mounting test equipment >> unless the racks are anchored and everything is on slides, which I >> was not prepared to do). I don't have enough shop real estate to >> have a permanent access aisle behind the test equipment, so the bench >> and racks have large (5") locking polyurethane wheels and can be >> pulled out relatively easily for reconfiguration. This provides >> plenty of stability for electronic projects, but you wouldn't want to >> mount a big vise on the bench and try to bend 1" rebar. For that, I >> have a separate metalworking shop. >> >> Bench height is also important. I prefer a tall bench, suited to >> working standing or sitting on an ergonomic stool, so my bench top is >> 44" above the floor -- a bit below my standing elbow height. >> >> Finally, one can never have too many power outlets, or too much >> light, in a workshop. Lighting should be arranged so that it doesn't >> cause specular reflections from the workpiece or the faces of test equipment. >> >> Best regards, >> >> Charles >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com >> To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts >> and follow the instructions there. >> _______________________________________________ >> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com >> To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts >> and follow the instructions there. >> > > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > -- Steve Rooke - ZL3TUV & G8KVD A man with one clock knows what time it is; A man with two clocks is never quite sure. _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
