Announcements

Thank you to all who visited the Transforming Technologies booth at the ESD/EOS Symposium 2011.  It was a wonderful opportunity to meet new people in the ESD field and reconnect with past colleagues.

A recap of the products and demostations at our booth:

AlphaBoost:  Electronically Enhanced Alpha Ionization

AlphaBoostâ„¢ bipolar ionization systems significantly enhance the effective range of P-2042 alpha sources (NRD, Inc.)and offer a practical alternative for static control in ultraclean manufacturing environments. Alphaboostâ„¢ uses self-contained, pulse DC fields to repel ions rapidly away from the alpha source. The Alphaboostâ„¢ system variable frequency control provides excellent static protection, in multiple configurations.

For more information about AlphaBoost, please visit the links below:

http://esdjackets.com/support/alphaboost-electronically-enhanced-alpha-ionization.html

http://esdjackets.com/support/cleanroom-air-ionization-in-a-nano-world-presentation.html

Cyclops – Infrared Operator Presence Sensor for the CM2800 Series Constant Monitor

CYCLOPSâ„¢ operator presence sensorsassure compliance with personnel grounding requirements and protect ESD safe workstations by sensing when an operator is within the protected work area. An operator who approaches the workstation without connecting their wrist strap causes the CM2800 Series resistance monitor with the CYCLOPSâ„¢ sensor to alarm. The alarm continues until compliance is achieved, preventing isolated operators from damaging ESD sensitive devices

Recently we were given the honor of guest blogging on the Q Source Resource, the blog of Q Source, a supplier of manufacturing, assembly tools, and equipment.  We chose to discuss the basics of an effective ESD Control Program: ESD Prevention Program, an ESD Training Program, and an Audit Program. In Part 1 of “Elements of an Effective ESD Control Program,” we looked at ESD prevention programs.

Please take a moment to read the post and let Q Source know what you think.  In part two of the series we will tackle the importance of ESD training.

The 2011 Annual Meeting of the Electrostatics Society of America will be held June 14-16, 2011, at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH. Papers will be presented in all scientific and technical areas involving electrostatics, and Transforming Technologies is proud to announce that two of our associates work will be included in the event.

On Tuesday, June 14 at 2pm, Dr. Larry Levit of LBL Scientific will be presenting the paper “Generating Air Ionization With No Contaminating Particles”.  Written in conjunction with Doug Buyer of the ESD Company, the session will examine the performance of the Aphaboost technology, a hybrid alpha/electronic air ionizer. Below is the abstract:

Abstract—Modern semiconductor manufacturing employs air ionizers to reduce the effects
of static charge. These effects are contamination control from electrostatic attraction and on
physical damage from discharges. Conventionally, air ionization is generated by corona from
needle electrodes, but there are particles generated by this process. In the past, these particles
have been too small to affect the manufacturing process, but this is no longer true. The latest
small structures on the wafer have reached the limit where these particles will harm the product.
This paper discusses the mechanism for particle creation and presents a design which
creates no particles.

For more information on Alphaboost, read the white paper Alphaboost Electronically Enhanced Alpha Ionization, or view this Cleanroom Air Ionization in a Nano World presentation.  For conference information, visit http://electrostatics.org. Dr. Levit can be reached at LBL Scientific and Doug Buyer can be reached via email at douglasesd@gmail.com.

Transforming Technologies is proud to announce the addition of the HG1360NM-2 to our line of ESD heel grounders.

Non-marking heel grounders are valuable because they help keep your controlled environment clean. The HG1360NM-2 is constructed from a non-marking and highly dissipative three layer rubber. The reversible 1.5” wide rubber cup, secures both at the back and underneath the heel. Its 7.5” length rubber provides enough cup volume to fit comfortably on those with larger shoe sizes. The 7” stretch hook and loop enclosure ensures a comfort fit. For more information, download HG1360NM-2 Data Sheet.

Features

• High Visibility Blue Color
• Non-Marking Rubber
• Buried resistor

For price and availability on the HG1360NM-2 or for information on any products in Transforming Technologies full line of ESD products, please call 419-841-9552 or email eric@transforming-technologies.com.

The University of Michagan Solar Car Team

Transforming Technologies is proud to announce that we have joined a growing list of sponsors for the University of Michigan Solar Car project which aims to design, develop, finance and race a solar energy-powered car 1,800 miles across the Australian Outback this October as part of the World Solar Challenge. The team at Michigan will utilize a selection of Transforming Technologies’ Surface Mount Device (SMD) boxes, SMD Storage Cabinet and ESD Rubber Matting to protect sensitive components.

“We think this is a fascinating project  that’s impact is seen in the ever growing and important sustainability movement” said Evan Clancy, a Transforming Technologies’ Senior Manager. “The University of Michigan is a great institution and we are overjoyed that our products will assist UMsolar compete in the World Solar Challenge”.

The University of Michigan Solar Car Team (UMsolar) is an entirely student-run organization that designs and builds solar-powered vehicles. The team races both nationally and internationally. Since its establishment in 1990, the team has built 10 vehicles, won the American Solar Challenge six times, and placed third in the World Solar Challenge four times.  UMsolar is widely recognized as the most successful team in North America.

For more information on the project visit: http://solarcar.engin.umich.edu/.  For donation information: http://solarcar.engin.umich.edu/donate/

Thank you to all who stopped by the Transforming Technologies Table at the 57th Annual ESTECH, Technical Meeting and Exposition of IEST in Chicago May 2-5. We had the opportunity to exhibit with some of the very best companies in the test, and evaluation/product reliability; contamination control; aerospace; and nanotechnology.

Our tabletop featured:

Alphaboostâ„¢ Electronically-Enhanced Alpha Ionization

FG Series: Nomex® Static Safe Hot Gloves

On-Stat^TM Cleanroom Soles

ESTECH offers attendees a valuable educational experience with conference sessions and continuing education courses in the fields of design, test, and evaluation/product reliability; contamination control; aerospace; and nanotechnology. There is no substitute for peer-to-peer interaction, which you cannot get with the internet, e-mail, and phone.

Resistance Monitoring
Resistance based monitoring is the most complete wrist strap monitoring system available. Workstations using resistance monitors are almost never at risk. Basic systems use impedance technology and single wire wrist straps which can be easily fooled. If a wrist strap is worn incorrectly, the monitor can still register a “pass” condition or if the wire of the wrist strap is severed the workstation could be put at risk for ESD damage. Dual conductor wrist bands offer fail safe protection because the monitor will alarm if the operator looses contact with one ground wire. It is very rare to loose both ground wires at the same time, so the workstation is still protected even during a alarm condition. The CM2800 series from Transforming Technologies is a high quality resistance monitor and provides continuous monitoring of two operators, two mats, or two grounded workstation tools.

CM2800 Dual Wire Constant Monitor

A New Cost Effective Source
For many years, resistance monitoring and dual conductor products were limited to mainly 3M.  But  Transforming Technologies now offers a value alternative for these premium 3M* dual conductor products. We incorporate the best design elements of expired patent # 5,018,044 with our own experience making premium quality ESD products to produce the WB5000, WB7000 to be used with the resistance monitor CM2800 series. Transforming Technologies and 3M’s dual conductor products are functionally equivalent*. The wrist bands, coil cords and resistance monitors can be used together in any combination!

Both 3M and Transforming Technologies’ Speidel metal band feature two 180 de-gree conductive paths around the wrist, providing maximum skin contact. The expandable band is constructed with two stainless steel back plates and is available in small, medium and large sizes.

Transforming Technologies and 3M’s fabric wrist strap features a band made of a silver plated, monofilament, continuous thread woven together with elastic nylon to maintain full conductivity, comfort and reliability, while providing rapid and con-tinuous drain of static charge.

Coil Cords
Used in conjunction with dual conductor constant workstation monitors, Transforming Technologies’ CC3000 series dual conductor coil cords provide unmatched reliability and value. A double insulated jacket provides incredible durability and a wide diameter straight plug makes it easy to insert and remove the cord from a remote input jack. The coil cord come standard in 5’, 10’ or 12’ lengths and are functionally equivalent to the 3M coil cords.

*Compatibility with particular resistance monitors should be verified.

For information on resistance monitoring, dual conductor grounding products or any general questions, please contact Transforming Technologies at 419-841-9552 or email at info@transforming-technologies.com.

Over the past year, Transforming Technologies has worked diligently to create a line of dual conductor grounding products that is competitive in design and value to 3M’s dual line.   Recently our CC3000 Series Dual Conductor Coil Cords were put through an independent test by Affinity Static Control Consulting. Below is an excerpt from their test results.

Introduction:
Tom Watkins of Transforming Technologies, LLC., contacted David E. Swenson of Affinity Static Control Consulting, LLC (Affinity) regarding testing of dual conductor wrist strap cords according to ANSI/ESD S1.1 – Wrist Straps, for flex life. The aforementioned Standard requires a minimum of 16,000 cycles through 120 degrees of rotational Arc while under tension of 1 pound on the cord under test.
Specifications:
Standard 1.1 requires that the minimum life of all samples tested have a flex life of at least 8,000 cycles and that the average of all samples exceed 16,000 cycles. Flex life failure includes an increase in electrical resistance exceeding 25% of the rated resistance value or any evidence of strain relief or cord jacket failure. In the case of the dual conductor cords tested, there is a 1 megohm resistor in each of the conductors installed in the wires at the wrist strap plug end of the cord. The cord continuity is from barrel to barrel and from tip to tip of the modified phono-jack type connectors with an expected resistance of 0.9 kohms to 1.1 megohms. The test apparatus has a capability of testing two cords at one time at a rate of 2220 cycles per hour.

Test Results:
Samples were selected at random from the set of 10 received cords for testing and placed on the tester 2 at a time, starting with the wrist strap plug end first. All the samples tested survived well past the 16,000 cycles required by Standard S1.1. No evidence of strain relief cracking or electrical change was noted on either end of the dual conductor cords until much higher cycle times. The cords, as tested, meet the requirements of S1.1 with regards to strain relief integrity.

Summary:
The dual conductor cords provided by Transforming Technologies, LLC for qualification testing meet and exceed the requirements for flex life established in ANSI/ESD S1.1 – Wrist Straps.  The full report from Affinity can be found here.