What does ESD mean?
ESD stands for electrostatic discharge and describes the discharge that occurs when two differently charged objects meet. This discharge is caused by friction or separation of materials. Every one of us has experienced this phenomenon, e.g. the electric shock when touching a doorknob. Although humans can only perceive an electrostatic discharge in the form of an electric shock from approx. 3,500 volts, damage to semiconductor components already occurs far below this. This occurs at a voltage of approx. 35 volts. About 90 % of electrostatic discharges are far below 3,500 volts and therefore remain undetected by humans. However, they cause damage to semiconductor components and electronic components.
For this reason, appropriate protection against electrostatic charge is an important preventive measure.
ESD protection has two main functions:
- Prevention of uncontrolled discharge of charge potentials to sensitive components.
- An unnoticed pre-damage of semiconductor components, which can later unexpectedly fail during operation and thus lead to a potential safety risk! (e.g. ABS control units in vehicles).
Why do you need ESD protection in your production?
ESD protection by means of ESD wheels and castors is playing an increasingly important role in areas where sensitive semiconductor technology is installed or transported. An important example of one of these areas is the automotive production. Especially when manufacturing electric vehicles with highly complex technology paired with sensitive electronics and semiconductor components, a lack of ESD protection provided by ESD wheels and castors can have fatal consequences for the production processes and the transported goods. Improper ESD protection can result in high consequential costs for the entire production process. In the worst case, it can also lead to massive failures of electronic components such as control units, resulting in recalls!
Uncontrolled electrostatic discharges can cause total damage to electronic components (semiconductors) as well as hidden defects that can generate high costs. These costs can lead to late failures, complaints, repair costs and, above all, the loss of your good reputation and your customers.
ESD protection with ESD wheels and castors
Our ESD wheels and castors can help you eliminate these unnecessary costs. After all, castors and wheels can also build up electrostatic energy. If the charge cannot be released, the voltage remains within the castor and can only be discharged at contact with ground. Our ESD experts will be happy to advise you on this topic.
You are welcome to contact one of our experts for more information and advice on ESD wheels and castors. You can contact us by filling out the contact form below.
Our solutions for you
We understand the importance of ESD protection and have developed a range of ESD wheels and castors to help you avoid the costs of electrostatic damage by protecting your valuable equipment in your production. Our ESD wheels and castors are designed to prevent electrostatic charges from occurring in the first place and to discharge unavoidable charges safely. Voltage peaks are discharged in a controlled manner and cannot discharge abruptly.
Our in-house expertise offers you following benefits:
- Our know-how on the special challenges in the field of ESD wheels and castors.
- ESD protection to ensure that your sensitive transport goods remain reliably safe.
- Certified ESD wheels and castors.
The ESD-AKADEMIE (ESD academy) is Germany's leading ESD specialist based in Großmaischeid and has certified our mobility solutions in accordance with the ESD standard. The academy has confirmed the suitability of our products for use in ESD protected areas (EPA).
Contact us today to prevent any further avoidable costs due to a lack of electrical discharge capability with ESD wheels and castors. To do so, fill out the contact form in just a few steps and one of our ESD experts will be happy to get in touch with you.
ESD protection with conductive components and ESD wheels and castors
Many industries work with sensitive technology requiring electrical conductivity. The automotive industry and electrical industry are two such areas that benefit from ESD wheels and castors. However, ESD wheels and castors are also essential in businesses with a risk of explosion. These include pyrotechnic factories, mineral oil factories and chemical plants. Here, electrostatic charges can not only have severe consequences for the equipment but can also be dangerous for people.
Protection for sensitive electronics
Protecting sensitive electronics from electrostatic discharge consists of preventing and controlling discharge. If transport castors are made of materials such as plastic, they have the potential to build up an electrostatic charge within a very short time. We all know this effect when we feel small electric shocks. This effect is often simply annoying for us, but in some cases can entail a high risk. This can have serious consequences, especially for sensitive electronics, because uncontrolled discharges can affect the equipment. Therefore, the protection of sensitive electronics through ESD wheels and castors is incredibly important. For this reason, ESD wheels and castors are important for any industry. At TENTE we offer ESD wheels and castors for pallet trolleys, ESD wheels and castors for chairs and if you want something a little more special, we offer individual ESD wheels and castors for office chairs according to your wishes.
Which work areas need to be protected?
Necessary ESD protection can be found in almost all work areas. You will find it in the automotive industry, in the electrical industry, in warehouses, in production areas, in medicine, in the pharmaceutical industry and in laboratories. Here, people and equipment are affected. Therefore, it is important to discharge the electrical discharges on ESD-critical parts and components into the ground by means of various protective measures.This way, electrostatic charges can be prevented.
Guidelines for electrical conductivity
We adhere to the DIN EN 61340 standard, which confirms the certification of ESD wheels and castors. For transport equipment, a maximum acceptable total discharge resistance of one gigaohm (1x109 Ω) is permissible. Ideally, the discharge resistance is not less than 10 kiloohms. This is to ensure that the electrical discharge faces electrical resistance as it runs into the ground. Also, the charge is not discharged abruptly and in an uncontrolled manner, as this can also severely damage sensitive components. If you have any further questions regarding ESD wheels and castors, please do not hesitate to contact us.
