RMV TECHNOLOGY GROUP LLC

Monday, April 01, 2019

Risk Management: Advanced ESD Instrumentation for Qualification Testing of Static Shielding Bags

ABob Vermillion, CPP, Fellow Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer-iNARTE, RMV Technology Group, LLC a NASA Industry Partner, NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA 94035dd some more info about this item...

The author is the First to Present on Suspect Counterfeit and Non-Compliant ESD Materials in the Supply Chain at the NASA Quality Leadership Forum 2010, Cape Canaveral, Florida. No longer can a Supplier Technical Data Sheet serve as proof of compliance for a static control shielding bag.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Evaluation Methods of Static Control Gloves for ESD Integrity

Bob Vermillion, ESD & Product Safety Engineer, iNARTE

Following a formalized materials qualification process is critical to the success of a Corporate Quality Assurance Program.  Not only should your Supply Chain Procurement Engineering require all Suppliers to provide up-to-date testing data for internal auditors as well as customers, but also to insure a quality process that is absolutely essential today due to suspect counterfeit and non-compliant products widely seen in both the Federal and Commercial marketplace.  Due to the "globalization" to provide more leverage for the supply chain, the net effect has resulted in extreme competitiveness by substitutions, off-shore sourcing and the rise in counterfeits from parts and components to materials, packaging, gloves, garments, ionizers, etc. etc.  

Read on and your comments are always welcome.    

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

According to the 12 February 2016 edition of the EE Times, President Barak Obama indicated a day earlier that he will sign into law a customs bill passed by the U.S. Senate that includes a provision to combat counterfeit semiconductors.  This will be called the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (H.R. 644/S.1269) and will mandate that U.S. Customs & Border Protection share information and samples of suspected counterfeit EEE parts for inspection and testing that are identified as counterfeits. 

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Testing Methods for ESD Control Packaging Products

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

Today, suspect counterfeit ESD control and non-compliant packaging is a growing issue throughout the global supply chain. Not only are EEE parts (ESD sensitive devices) damaged, but components can also be destroyed. Suspect counterfeit static control or non-compliant electrostatic discharge (ESD) shielding bags can be purchased from the internet, catalogs, brokers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Why ANSI/ESD S20.20 1-Foot Rule for Charge Generators needs to be Increased to 1-Meter for Aerospace & Defense

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

IN THE SEMICONDUCTOR SECTOR TODAY, ESD sensitive devices can be damaged at <+/-50 volts. Aerospace & Defense cannot issue a Return Materials Authorization (RMA) for an ESD sensitive device that fails in space or a nonfunctioning weapon system in-theatre. The fact that extruded film can charge up to over +/- 100,000 volts below 20% RH has been problematic for polymer and paperboard manufacturers for years. 

Monday, August 31, 2015

On-Site Ionizer Calibration Overview

Bob Vermillion, RMV Technology Group and Jorg Fischer, UCB Space Science Laboratory

Does packaging integrity make a difference?

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During periodic verification and maintenance of ionizers offsite, offset voltage in excess of end user specifications has been found. It should be noted that the ionizer emitter points were clean and the units fully operational.

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Thursday, January 15, 2015

Chair Measurements of Electrostatic Fields and ESD Events in Proximity to a Static Control Safe Workstation

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

A long standing debate exists within the electrostatic discharge (ESD) control community regarding the use of an ANSI/ESD S1.1-2013 wrist strap as a suitable replacement for static control flooring in combination with ANSI/ESD STM12.1-2013 seating (chair) and ANSI/ESD STM9.1-2014 footwear. This brief article will present a summary of testing in which we measured ESD events related to a chair’s proximity of 12 inches from an ANSI/ESD S4.1-2006 work surface.

Friday, August 29, 2014

The Silent Killer: Suspect/Counterfeit Items and Packaging

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

Over the past several years, U.S. based organizations have curtailed traditional internal verification efforts due to reliance on contract manufacturers, distributors and suppliers to do the right thing. The inspection of ESD sensitive parts is very important, but without special safeguards, the additional handling to remove and repack a product for validation can cause both physical and ESD damage in the process. 

Friday, March 21, 2014

Risk of ESD-Sensitive Devices in Proximity to ANSI/ESD STM2.1-Compliant Garments by Field-Induced Model Discharge

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

During ESD assessments, it is not uncommon to see personnel wearing wool, silk, cotton, polyester blends and static control overalls (ESD Garments). Some ESD garment types consist of an embedded conductive grid network (Figure 1) in combination with cotton or polyester blends as seen under a digital microscope (Figure 1, left). Despite favorable cuff-to-cuff (Figure 2 right) or sleeveto- sleeve resistance (Figure 2, left) to ANSI/ESD STM2.1-2013 (see Table 2), some ESD garment types are charge generating. So, is a conductive grid network embedded in ESD garments (Figure 1) adequate for the prevention of triboelectrification or charge generation? (Note: This article does not address disposable garments.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Five Days in RMV Laboratory at NASA Ames Training the ONE NASA ESD Program Managers

Renee Mitchell, President, RMV Technology Group

Bob Vermillion,  iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer, RMV Founder & CEO, trains the NASA ESD Program Managers from LARC, MSFC, AFC, WFC, GSFC, NASA Safety Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.  Read the article in the NRP Summer 2014 quarterly newsletter on page 15. 

Tuesday, July 01, 2014

Facilities Engineering Protocols for Static Control Flooring Compliance

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

A person walking across an insulative tile floor can build up static electricity resulting in an electostatic dischcarge (ESD).  When a hand touches a doorknob, it can take about 3000 to 3500 volts to feel a sudden shock...To insure proper selection and installation of static control flooring, there are several ESD flooring standards in place. ...read on to learn the current standards and test methods employed today. 

Friday, November 01, 2013

A 1kV Discharge Directly onto a Staple Leads to Increased Energy Penetration Inside Metallized Static Shielding Bags

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

Editor’s Note: Due to the overwhelming amount of positive feedback from the September 2013 issue of In Compliance Magazine (pp. 42-48), a follow-up article with additional lab testing by the author was necessary to respond to an aerospace prime.Thank you for your informative article on “Pin Holes & Staples Lead to Diminished Performance in Metallized Static Shielding Bags.” Have you considered what happens if there is an ESD discharge to the staple in a bag?Outstanding question! If the reader will recall from last month’s article, initial lab testing was conducted by the author for Type III static shielding bags to ANSI/ESD STM11.31-2012. According to the ESD Association, “This standard test method provides a method for testing and determining the shielding capabilities of electrostatic shielding bags.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Charge Generation of ESD Sensitive Devices: Understanding Risks of Protective Packaging

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

Several years ago,  Ray Gomph, PhD, PE (Ret.), NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the Author evaluated 7" x7" ESD corrugated substrates for Tribocharge generation at low Relative Humidity (RH). At 45% RH, all samples generated peak voltages of less than 100 volts.  However, kraft corrugated at 12% RH peaked out at 12,870 volts. The No. 3 Bleached White liner generated 17,690 volts. 

Sunday, September 01, 2013

Pin Holes & Staples Lead to Diminished Performance in Metallized Static Shielding Bags

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

As early as 1985, the author recalls re-occurring discussions of the effects of puncture holes from component leads and stapling of static shielding bags.In July 2013, the ESD Experts page on LinkedIn® started a discussion by a USA computer manufacturing company that generated participation from end users, suppliers and consultants both here and abroad. In years past, some held opinions that pin holes do not greatly affect static shielding of metalized bags. There is, however, minimal published data to fall back upon regarding this subject matter.

Saturday, September 01, 2012

Packaging Engineering: A First Line of Defense For Suspect Component Detection

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

The days of purchasing U.S. based products from one’s local distributor can be compromised by outsourcing efforts lacking traceability in the supply chain. In contrast to aerospace & defense, the pharmaceutical sector is actively engaged in utilizing a sound packaging engineering approach enabling non-conforming or suspect counterfeit products to be differentiated, tracked, identified, inspected and placed into quarantine. Scope of the Problem: Supplier Non-conformance and Suspect counterfeit packaging represents a hazard to electrostatic discharge (ESD) sensitive devices or components through cross contamination (Figure 1) during transport and storage while generating high voltage discharges in the parts inspection and manufacturing process.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Static Control Garment Verification to Ensure Supplier Conformance

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

In 2011, RMV was visited by a major aerospace & defense prime due to electrostatic discharge (ESD) garment issues at one of their locations. It was understood that this site was closed for manufacturing due to ESD garment non-conformance. In addition, another satellite subcontractor’s static control garments were called into question by their customer. RMV was asked to provide guidelines on how to verify an ESD garment’s product integrity and to include testing criteria to utilize for ensuring supplier conformance. ANSI/ESD S20.20-2007 outlines some criteria for acceptance in Table 1. The testing method utilized in the evaluation of static control garments with wide acceptance is ANSI/ESD STM2.1.

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

A Comparison between Gelatinous and Tacky Coated Type Packaging Carriers

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

This article addresses the differences between gelatinous and tacky coated packaging for ESD Sensitive Devices utilized by the aerospace and defense community for long term storage, in-process, materials handling and distribution in its usage among quality, device and manufacturing engineers.  

Thursday, May 06, 2010

The Dip Tube

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certifed ESD & Product Safety Engineer

A formalized materials qualification process is essential in preventing non-conforming or suspect counterfeit packaging that can lead to ESD hazards during parts inspection process, long-term storage issues and failures in manufacturing.

Monday, September 06, 2010

JEDEC and Tape & Reel Issues

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

Handling today’s architectures in combination with ultra sensitive electronic components packaged in suspect counterfeit or non-conforming materials leads to issues during the inspection process and in use. Issues in the handling of ultra sensitive (Class 0) ESD devices are discussed in this groundbreaking article.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Following ESD Materials Validation Protocols - Part 1

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

Comparing  Antistats versus Inherently Conductive Polymer Coated Type 1 Moisture Barrier Bags for Humidity Dependence & Charge Generation at Low RH.  This is the first part of a two-part series of the analysis of ESD flexible packaging regarding Electrostatic Decay, Static Shielding and Charge Generation. 

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Following ESD Materials Validation Process - Part 2

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

Comparing Antistats versus Inherently Conductive Polymer Coated Type I Moisture Barrier Bags for Humidity Dependence & Charge Generation at Low RH This is a continuation, from the September 2010 Issue, of the examination of ESD packaging regarding Electrostatic Decay, Static Shielding and Charge Generation. (Note: Figures and tables are noted as continuing numbers from Part 1. Full Part 2 version can be referenced at www.cemag.us)

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Packaging, Medical Devices Critical To Emergency Room Procedures

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

Packaging, medical devices Critical to Emergency Room Procedures by Jim Butschli, Editor with input from Bob Vermillion of RMV Technology Group, a NASA Industry partner and SME in the field of Medical Device and Pharmaceutical ESD packaging engineering.   

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Packaging's Fight Against ESD

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

Consultant Doug Smith and Bob Vermillion of RMV Technology Group examine a method of measuring stress on RFID chips. This will enable the development of adequate protection for RFID tags against electrostatic discharge when in transit.

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Keeping Ahead of the Counterfeiters

Bob Vermillion, iNARTE Certified ESD & Product Safety Engineer

Packaging innovations must be validated to keep ahead of counterfeiters in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries.  According to many industry sectors, 60 percent of all the electronic devices from Asian unauthorized sources are now being counterfeited. Dog food, pharmaceuticals, jewelry, consumer goods, and other items have made the news. Three industries of absolute concern are aerospace and defense, medical devices, and pharmaceutical drugs, in which Return Material Authorizations (RMAs) are of little value. It is essential that medical device packaging undergo validation by a formalized packaging and materials qualification process.