Electro Static Discharge (ESD)
Electro Static Discharge (ESD) can cause a lot of damage to electronic components, such as those found in computer systems, e.g. the processor and RAM.
The amount of ESD required to destroy or damage a computer component would not register with a human and at most a person would feel a little shock.
Many of the semiconductor chips (integrated circuits) and other components in a computer system operate at a low voltage and can be irreparably damaged by ESD2-5 volts and can be damaged by as little as 40 volts ESD.
The causes of ESD include:
- People moving about normally
- Equipment being moved
- Low humidity
- Poor connections
- Unshielded cables
- Improper grounding
Next: Minimising ESD
