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Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

contact

English answer:

physical electrical contact

Added to glossary by Tony M
Mar 12, 2020 15:14
4 yrs ago
35 viewers *
English term

contact

English Tech/Engineering Electronics / Elect Eng electrostatic discharge
look at the photo please
Responses
4 +1 physical electrical contact
4 -1 circuit is connected to a protected connection point (suppressed test signal) to discharge the volt
2 contact discharge
Change log

Mar 12, 2020 15:55: Tony M changed "Field" from "Other" to "Tech/Engineering"

Mar 17, 2020 10:02: Tony M Created KOG entry

Discussion

Tony M Mar 12, 2020:
@ Mike The point you seem to be missing here is that, in this specific ESD testing context; the primary difference between and AIR discharge and a CONTACT discharge is whether or not the HV probe actually touches or makes contact with the EUT.
If Asker fails to underdstand that the source text is talking about different kinds of discharge, that is one issue; but given that is understood, then the sole point really is how the HV discharge is applied to the EUT — i.e. throught the air or by direct physical contact.

I don't think there is really any disagreement at all — just different ways of looking at and explaining the same thing.
mike23 Mar 12, 2020:
@ All I see there is a major disagreement here. I respect you might look at the word 'contact' as a synonym of 'physical electrical contact'. That is the first thing that comes to mind. However if you look at the context and the standards quoted by the Asker you might think otherwise
(Electrostatic Discharge - IEC 61000-4-2, IEC 60601-1-2 referring to contact discharge and air discharge as test methods).
https://www.st.com/content/ccc/resource/technical/document/a...
Masoud Kakouli Varnousfaderani (asker) Mar 12, 2020:
but you did not tell what "contact" means
Masoud Kakouli Varnousfaderani (asker) Mar 12, 2020:
but you did not tell what "contact" means
Masoud Kakouli Varnousfaderani (asker) Mar 12, 2020:
but you did not tell what "contact" means
Bashiqa Mar 12, 2020:
The contact is rated at 6 kv and the air resistance at 8kv.
At least that is how I read it.

Responses

+1
47 mins
Selected

physical electrical contact

This is such a fundamental word, it is very difficult to find any even simpler terms in which to explain it — and it is not helped by the fact you don't give us much in the way of clues as to exactly what you don't understand?

In ESD testing, the aim is to subject a device to a high voltage, and see if it is adversely affected or not. There are 2 main techniques used in this field:
application via the air: the source of the high voltage (e.g. a wire or probe) is brought to a certain distance from the device being tested, then a high-voltage pulse is applied, to see if the device is affected — this may occur before any actual visible spark occurs.
And application via physical, electrical contact: in this more taxing test, the high voltage source (probe etc.) is actually moved so close that it physically touches' or 'makes contact with' the device being tested.


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Note added at 6 hrs (2020-03-12 21:35:35 GMT)
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Whilst my attempted layperson's explanation may skip over a lot of arguably superfluous detail, for the sake of helping Asker's understanding, I would just like to point out that it is based on specialist professional knowledge in this subject area, which was one of the fields I worked on for years before starting translating about it.
So please be aware that my explanation, although simplified, is backed up with sound technical experience in the field!

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Note added at 4 days (2020-03-17 10:02:28 GMT) Post-grading
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OK, so if that's the bit that is giving you trouble, you need to read this as 'type of discharge method: contact / air'
Peer comment(s):
agree Yvonne Gallagher : quite simply. I also don't understand the difficulty But I see others making things more complicated
2 hrs
Thanks, Yvonne!
agree philgoddard : I don't think it's that simple. I didn't know what it meant in this context, though your explanation is convincing.
4 hrs
Thanks, Phil! I think the issue is not the meaning of the term 'contact' in isolation, but rather its opposition with 'air'.
disagree mike23 : Sorry. It's just wrong. 'Contact' stands for 'contact discharge' here, same as 'air' for 'air discharge'. / Ok, not wrong but it misses the point. It's about direct contact discharge used as a test method.
4 hrs
I'm afraid that's nonsense Mike! While you may not find my explanation to your taste, you absolutely cannot say it is categorically "wrong". I have worked professionally and written technical literature in this specific field!!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
-1
58 mins

circuit is connected to a protected connection point (suppressed test signal) to discharge the volt

circuit is connected to a protected connection point (suppressed test signal) to discharge 6kv
Peer comment(s):
disagree Tony M : This is technically somewhat nonsensical — but in any case, does not correspond to the question asked.
4 hrs
Something went wrong...
28 mins

contact discharge

contact discharge - An ESD test method where the ESD generator makes direct contact with the device under test (DUT).
https://www.powersystemsdesign.com/pages/glossary/139?id=Con...

Air discharge - A method for testing ESD-protection structures in which the ESD generator is discharged through an air gap between the generator and the device under test (DUT).
https://www.powersystemsdesign.com/pages/glossary/139?id=Air...

Electrostatic Discharge: Release of stored static electricity. Most commonly: The potentially damaging discharge of many thousands of volts that occurs when an electronic device is touched by a charged body.
https://www.powersystemsdesign.com/pages/glossary/139?t=ESD

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Note added at 29 mins (2020-03-12 15:43:47 GMT)
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ESD = Electrostatic Discharge

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Note added at 33 mins (2020-03-12 15:47:11 GMT)
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The EUT (equipment under test) is subjected to three types of discharge. Direct contact discharge is preferred either directly to the EUT or indirectly through vertical or horizontal coupling planes. Air discharge is used where direct contact cannot be applied.

ESD Test Levels (IEC/EN 61000-4-2)
See the table here ->
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_61000-4-2#Test_levels

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Note added at 2 hrs (2020-03-12 17:34:37 GMT)
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ESD Test Levels (IEC/EN 61000-4-2)[2]

Contact discharge Air discharge
Level Test voltage Test voltage
1 ±2 kV ±2 kV
2 ±4 kV ±4 kV
3 ±6 kV ±8 kV
4 ±8 kV ±15 kV

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Note added at 2 hrs (2020-03-12 17:38:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

IEC 61000-4-2 is an international test standard that outlines electromagnetic immunity requirements for electronic equipment when exposed to electrostatic discharge (ESD) generated from a human body or metal objects. The standard assumes that the source is an electrified human body discharge and testing simulates the current waveform generated in those conditions.

Level / Test Voltage (Contact Discharge) / Test Voltage (Air Discharge)
1 2kV 2kV
2 4kV 4kV
3 6kV 8kV
...
https://www.atecorp.com/compliance-standards/iec/iec-61000-4...

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Note added at 3 hrs (2020-03-12 18:15:56 GMT)
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ESD requirements have also been made more stringent. Where 6KV for contact discharge and 8KV for air discharge were sufficient in the 3rd Edition, the 4th Edition increases these to 8KV and 15KV, respectively[ii].
https://therealtimegroup.com/2018/01/08/iec-60601-1-2-4th-ed...

https://www.mouser.co.uk/pdfDocs/blog_understanding-medical-...

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Note added at 3 hrs (2020-03-12 19:13:46 GMT)
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In the table presented by the Asker 'contact' stands for 'contact discharge'
Peer comment(s):
neutral Yvonne Gallagher : I don't see an explanation for the one word "contact" anywhere in this long answer?
2 hrs
See Line 1 - contact discharge - An ESD test method where the ESD generator makes direct contact with the device under test (DUT).
neutral Tony M : Yes, so your "explanation" simply uses the question term itself to explain... itself
4 hrs
It's about the word 'contact' which in this context stands for 'contact discharge' as per the relevant standards. I think I have explained the term well enough.
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