Humidification – Electronics

Humidity control for electronics

Electronics manufacturing facilities need to reduce the risk of electrostatic discharges (ESD) to avoid damage to sensitive components, to production equipment and to the personnel working in the production facility.

ESD can damage or destroy sensitive electronic components, erase or alter magnetic media, or set off explosions or fires in flammable environments. Each year, an estimated $40 billion in losses from ESD damage occur in the electronics industry alone.

Static electricity has proven to be a constant danger to our electronic devices. Many electronic items today can store thousands of volts in electrostatic charges, yet it only takes 25 electrostatic volts to damage an electric circuit.

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is the sudden flow of electricity between two electrically charged objects caused by contact. The ESD occurs when differently charged objects are brought close together or when the dielectric between them breaks down, sometimes creating a visible spark.

Electrostatic discharges typically occur when air humidity drops below a certain critical value. Controlling air humidity will successfully minimise the risk of ESD, protecting both equipment and personnel and ultimately increasing productivity and preserving a consistent quality of the output.

Humidity control for electronics

Humidity control is the ideal solution to eliminate ESD. Humidifiers add moisture to the air, and the moisture in the air forms a thin protective “film” on surfaces that serves as a natural conductor to dissipate electric charges.

Benefits of humidification for electronics include minimising damages to manufacturing equipment and product caused by ESD, increased product quality which will lead to an increase in revenues and decrease waste from damaged components.

Having an overall program of static electricity reduction improves indoor air quality for both manufacturing and employee heath, which in turn helps to increase productivity by reducing employee absenteeism.

RGP supply and support humidification systems for the control of indoor climates for the prevention of production and static problems caused by dry air so are ideally placed to supply, install and maintain for all industries.