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Printed Circuit Boards: Proper Handling Techniques

While printed circuit boards don’t seem like they’re easily breakable, there are a few threats that even the most well built PCBs have to deal with that you may not have considered. Two of the most damaging are:

- Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
When static electricity builds up between two objects, or two people, or a person and an object, and the electricity discharges, it is called Electrostatic discharge. ESD has been known to cause damage to some electronic components. In the case where a person has built up a large static charge, and touches a printed circuit board in the wrong place, they could damage the whole PCB assembly.

- Electrical Overstress (EOS)
EOS occurs when there is excess of energy generated by soldering irons, solder extractors, test instruments, and other electrically powered devices. There is equipment available that was built to prevent EOS.

See how you should protect your printed circuit boards.

There are measures that must be taken so that your PCBs, especially pcb prototypes, are not exposed to these issues.

Process For Proper Handling
When preventing ESD and EOS, it is critical that you have a proper work space, and follow these safety precautions:

- PCBs should only be worked on in a proper work space that has sufficient grounding and static dissipation of the work surface and the floor.
- Work spaces need to be free of static generating materials like plastics, vinyl, rubber, Styrofoam, and other fabric.
- Do not eat, drink, or smoke at your work area. Even the slightest contamination or mess could really put your circuit board in bad shape.
- You need to be grounded properly any time you are dealing with PCB assemblies. Typically, people will use two heel grounders that contact the static dissipative floor as well as a wrist strap that connects to an earth ground.
- Handle prototype boards by the edges and avoid touching the circuits or components
- Electrical components should also be held by their edges and you should avoid contacting any leads
- Avoid using hand creams, soaps, and lotions that contain silicone. This may result in solder or epoxy not adhering properly
- Stacking printed circuit boards is not a good idea. It could damage the boards

When you stop working on a circuit board, it should be stored properly in a shield container. These are three types of ESD protective containers you could use:

- Static shielding, which prevents static electricity from passing through the packaging
- Antistatic. Which offers antistatic protection for electronic devices
- Static dissipative. This is a exterior layer that prevents static build up in the electronics

Get additional tips for handling prototype boards.

If you need EOS and ESD preventative items, you can buy them online or at a local electronics supply outlet.
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