Electrostatic fields can cause damage to electronic components. They are either immediately destroyed or they malfunction at the end user when operated. To prevent this from happening, the electrostatic charge must always lie below the specified limit during component production, packaging and processing. Although this also applies for packaged goods, the components are particularly endangered during the sorting process. Bearing this in mind, Rutronik’s existing ESD floors, tables and protective clothing have now been added to by special ESD protective zones, which comply with the stringent certification guidelines. This enables the distributor to rule out any advanced damage to the components through electrostatic discharge. Certification was recently conducted in accordance with the stringent DIN EN 61340-5-1 guidelines by an accredited ESD auditor, who measured the entire stores area for ESD and checked for conformity with the standard. In addition to this, four independent measuring stations in the stores ensure that the limit values of 30 °C and 60% relative air humidity are not exceeded. This is because several electronic components react very sensitively to moisture, e.g. plastic-coated silicon chips. If the plastic absorbs water from air humidity, this then evaporates during the soldering process whereupon the component then bursts (the popcorn effect) and is no longer usable. “As a link between the manufacturer and customer in the supply chain such quality assurance measures are absolutely essential for us in our role as istributor. This is why Rutronik has been providing effective ESD protection for many years and why it operates strictly in accordance with the Dry Pack guidelines”, explained Gerhard Lauffer, Head of Service and Quality Management at Rutronik.