Safe Solutions for Electrostatic Dissipative Protective Clothing

Content 1. BEKAERT in a nutshell 2. what is static electricity ? 3. how to solve ? 4. standards 5. different solutions 6. conclusions

Bekaert in a nutshell

Based in Europe, headquarters in Belgium Sales of 3.2 billion in 120 countries 18 500 employees Worldwide production platform

Bekaert is technological leader

Core competences Advanced metal transformation Advanced materials and coatings

From wire rod to advanced wire products

From ultra fine fibers to advanced materials

From traditional coatings to advanced coatings

Bekaert is market leader

Champagne cork (Nr. 1)

Examples

Coated wire (Nr. 1)

Fibers (Nr. 1)

Dramix (Nr. 1)

Premix gas burners for condensing boilers (Nr. 1)

Tire cord (Nr. 1)

Film Coatings (Nr. 2)

ECT - Electro Conductive Textile Applications

Stainless steel fibres and yarns used in: ESD (Electro-Static Discharge) Protective clothing Anti-static filtration Floor covering & upholstery Brushes Big Bags Electromagnetic Shielding (EMI) Heatable textiles Electrotherapy Intelligent textiles

1. BEKAERT in a nutshell 2. what is static electricity ? 3. how to solve ? 4. standards 5. different solutions 6. conclusions

What is static electricity ?

To many people, static electricity is little more than the shock experienced when touching a metal doorknob after sliding across a car seat or walking a carpeted room. Is caused by rubbing of 2 different materials (TRIBO-Series) Some materials want to give away electrons and other materials want to receive materials = TRIBO-CHARGING ESD or Electro-Static Discharge is the transfer of charge from one object to another, which results in an electrical current.
example : person walking over carpet can generate up to 30000 V

Charge transfer by induction

When a non charged earthed conductor is brought into the electric field of a charged object, the electrons rearrange and the charge leaks away to the ground = INDUCTION

TRIBO-Series

Positive

Neutral

Negative

++++++ +++++ ++++ +++ ++ + 0 -------------------------------------

Human hands Glass Human hair Nylon Wool Paper Cotton Steel Wood Copper Acetate, Rayonne Polyester Polyethyleen Polypropyleen Vinyl (PVC) Teflon

Example: PES with Fluor carbon coating will charge up quickly

Static electricity in our daily lives

Combing hair

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Static electricity in our daily lives

Combing hair Stepping out of your car

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Static electricity in our daily lives

Combing hair Stepping out of your car Opening a door

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Static electricity in our daily lives

Combing hair Stepping out of your car Opening a door Taking out a sweater

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Static electricity in our daily lives

Combing hair Stepping out of your car Opening a door Taking out a sweater Thunderstorm

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Discomforts and risks Getting a dangerous electrical shock

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Discomforts and risks Getting a dangerous electric shock Fire and/or fall-out of electric installations after lightning stroke

As a thunderstorm grows, electrical charges build up within the cloud. Oppositely charged particles gather at the ground below. The attraction between positive and negative charges quickly grows strong enough to overcome the air's resistance to electrical flow. Racing toward each other, they connect and complete the electrical circuit. Charge from the ground then surges upward at nearly one-third the speed of light and we see a bright flash of lightning.

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Discomforts and risks Getting a dangerous electric shock Fire and/or fall-out of electric installations after lightning stroke Explosion danger (gasses, fuel, dust, vapor)

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Discomforts and risks Getting a dangerous electric shock Fire and/or fall-out of electric installations after lightning stroke Explosion danger (gasses, fuel, dust, vapor) Damage to micro-electronics (<100 V, 40-50% failures)

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ESD garments for electronic assembly industry

Charged garments can damage micro-electronic components without touching (induction) All accumulated charge needs to be led away Seems need to be conductive Earthing of garment and person is required

This will avoid damage by induction charge

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Areas where ESD control is necessary

Flammable and explosive Atmospheres - ATEX (EN1149)
Petrochemical and Gas industry Chemical industry Fire Brigade Ammunition and fire work production

EPA/Clean room environment (EN61340-5-1)

Micro electronic industry Bio technological industry Hospital operating theatre (e.g. to protect vital electronic equipment)

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1. BEKAERT in a nutshell 2. what is static electricity ? 3. how to solve ? 4. standards 5. different solutions 6. conclusions

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How to solve?

1. Conductive Yarn : use conductive fibres or filaments to allow transport of electrostatic charge through the yarn 2. Conductive Fabric : use a grid of conductive yarns 3. Conductive garment : sew each part together with conductive sewing threads 4. Wear Conductive Socks and Shoes to make connection to earth

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How are conductive yarns made?

Spun Yarns : an amount (1%-20%) of Bekinox Stainless Steel Fibres can be blended during the spinning process with all kind of fibres: PES, PP, PA, Co, Wool, Nomex, Kermel
1 2% : blended throughout the whole fabric 20 % : conductive yarns in grid

Multifilament yarns (clean room) : PES or PA multifilament yarns twisted with a Bekinox Stainless steel monofilament Result: fabric with a resistance of 105 106 Ohm

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ESD garments must fulfill following requirements

Natural resistance to TRIBO-charging

e.g. Cotton is better then PES because it absorbs more water

Charge accumulation should be avoided to avoid induction Immediate discharge in earthed condition Conductivity should remain even after frequent washings (laundry service, > 50 cycles)

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1. Bekaert in a nutshell 2. what is static electricity ? 3. how to solve ? 4. standards 5. different solutions 6. conclusions

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Standards EN1149 & EN61340-5-1

EN1149: standard for protective clothing used in flammable and explosive atmospheres
EN1149-1: Test method for measurement of surface resistivity (for surface conductors only) EN1149-3: Test method for measurement of charge decay (suitable for core and surface conductors)

EN61340-5-1: standard for garments used in the manufacturing and assembling process of the electronic industry (point-to-point and sleeve-to-sleeve)

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1. Bekaert in a nutshell 2. what is static electricity ? 3. how to solve ? 4. standards 5. Surface and core conductors 6. conclusions

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Surface and Core Conductors

Fiber

Type

Construction

Brand

Producer

Standard

Surface Conductor

Stainless steel

Bekinox

BEKAERT

EN1149-1, EN1149-3, EN61340-5-1

Surface Conductor

Carbon outer layer, PA core

Resistat

Shakespeare

EN1149-1, EN61340-5-1

Conductor

Carbon core, PA outer layer

Belltron

Kanebo

EN1149-3

Core Conductor

Carbon core, PA outer layer

Negastat

Barnett

EN1149-3

Core Conductor

Carbon core, PA outer layer

P140

DuPont

EN1149-3

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New method for Core Conductors : EN1149-3

Due to their insulating outer layer, Core Conductors, e.g. Negastat, Nomex P140, cannot be measured according to EN1149-1 EN1149-3 has been developed to measure both Surface and Core conductors Bekinox can be certified according to EN1149-1 and EN1149-3

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Earthing yes or no?

Described in EN1149-5 If people are insulated from earth, there is a serious risk, due to accumulated electrostatic charge, that sparks from the people themselves can ignite a flammable or explosive atmosphere

When not earthed, no matter what type of garment the worker is wearing, the human body can still produce ignitions

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Tests have proven that

Garments with Bekinox fulfill all these conditions

Immediate discharge in earthed condition No rest charge Characteristics remain even after 200 industrial washings

Garments with Core conductors e.g. Negastat (By Barnett)

The person can be earthed, but the garment not because of insulating outer layer Charge up easily, even in earthed conditions Discharge time can take several minutes

Garments with carbon-suffused monofilaments e.g. Resistat (By Shakespeare)

Have less good washing characteristics (only 1 m carbon on PA6 core) Are a lot less conductive then metal fibres; more needs to be added to have the same result

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Example : Charging of a Core Conductor Fabric

In the next animation you will see: 1. The measuring instrument (oscilloscope) 2. The discharge of the garment (earthed electrode) 3. The charge of the garment (corona spray charger) 4. The discharge of garment (earthed electrode) 5. The measured value (oscilloscope)
The tested garment is made with core conductor yarns and is in earthed condition Test were done by Dr. Ulrich von Pidoll, managing Director, Physikalish Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) Braunschweig, Germany

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Long discharge time for core conductors

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Test Results Core Conductor Fabric

Even in earthed conditions there is still a rest charge Reason: a rest charge remains on the fabric big enough to cause a serious discharge or charge induction The same test has been done with Bekinox but without discharge Bekinox passes the test successfully because no rest charge

Core conductors should not be used in ESD protected environment (EPA)!

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1. BEKAERT in a nutshell 2. what is static electricity ? 3. how to solve ? 4. standards 5. Surface and core conductors 6. conclusions

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Conclusions

People wearing electrostatic dissipative clothing, always need to be properly earthed to avoid discharge from human body With Bekinox no rest charge, Core Conductors discharge slowly (rest charge present) Garments with Bekinox remain conductive after > 50 laundry cycles garments containing core conductors should be avoided in electronic assembly industry because of risk for induction charging

Result : Bekinox is The Safest Solution

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better together

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