Specifications

BATS AND PORTABLE BATS APPENDIX B
B-1
APPENDIX-B ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE (ESD)
The printed circuit boards within the TrackPoint 3 console can be damaged by ESD. Many of the
electronic components are sensitive to electrostatic discharge. Some devices can be damaged by a
potential as low as 30Volts. People are a prime source of device-damaging electrostatic potentials.
Activities such as walking or working at a bench can generate thousands of Volts of static potential.
This charge is transmitted to a person’s conductive perspiration layer, and when a charged person
handles a static sensitive device, the component may be damaged by either direct or indirect dis-
charge of the static potential to the device.
NOTE: A person typically will not feel static discharge until the potential approaches 3500 Volts.
An electronic device exposed to static discharge may not be affected at all and will work perfectly
throughout a normal life cycle. It may, however, function normally for a while, but because of deg-
radation in the internal layers of the device, its life expectancy may be reduced. The ESD event ini-
tiates a device weakness that degrades and causes failure with continued use.
RULE 1: Assume all electronic (solid state) components are sensitive to ESD damage.
RULE 2: Never touch a sensitive component or assembly unless properly grounded. When handling
circuit assemblies or when working with them, always use the appropriate grounding procedure:
wrist strap connected to ground or heelstrap with a grounded dissipative floormat.
RULE 3: Never transport, store, or handle sensitive components or assemblies except in a static-
safe environment. Use static shielding bags when transporting circuit boards.
If a grounded dissipative floor-mat or wrist-strap is not available then at the very least, when
swapping out Printed Circuit Boards, discharge yourself to the chassis of the unit. Lift out circuit
board from chassis and immediately put it on a conductive surface. Remove the new circuit board
from its anti-static bag only after grasping the anti-static bag (with PCB inside) and the chassis.
Remove board and place directly inside chassis. Put replaced board in the spare’s anti-static bag
for transport/storage.