ESD Simulators
General product-level, IC-level, and explosive-atmosphere ESD simulators for IEC 61000-4-2 and semiconductor ESD qualification.
ESD simulators covering the full range of electrostatic discharge test scenarios — general product-level immunity per IEC 61000-4-2, IC/semiconductor-level Human Body Model, Machine Model, and Charged Device Model testing, and specialised explosive-atmosphere ESD testing.
Understanding the Test Setup
IEC 61000-4-2 testing verifies a product can survive electrostatic discharge without damage or malfunction. A complete setup needs more than just the ESD gun.
- ESD simulator/gun — delivers contact discharge (direct to conductive surfaces) and air discharge (to non-conductive surfaces) at programmable voltage levels.
- Ground reference plane (GRP) — a copper or metal sheet the EUT sits on, bonded to the discharge return.
- Horizontal and vertical coupling planes (HCP/VCP) — simulate discharge to nearby objects and indirect discharge through air, connected via 470kΩ bleed resistors.
- Insulating supports — position the EUT and coupling planes at the correct standard height above the GRP.
For semiconductor-level qualification (component or IC testing rather than finished-product testing), a separate HBM/MM simulator is used instead of the product-level gun — this follows a different standard (JEDEC/ANSI ESDA) and discharge network entirely.
