Mil-STD-461G CS118 Personnel Borne Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

This requirement is applicable to electrical, electronic, and electromechanical subsystems and equipment that have a man-machine interface. It is not applicable to equipment that interfaces with or controls ordnance items.

This test procedure is used to verify the ability of the EUT to withstand personnel borne electrostatic discharge (ESD) in a powered up configuration.

The EUT shall not exhibit any malfunction, degradation of performance, or deviation from specified indications, beyond the tolerances indicated in the individual equipment or subsystem specification, when subjected to the values shown Table CS118-1. Contact up to 8kV is the required method. Air discharges shall be required only if specified by the procuring activity.

Data shall be presented detailing each discharge point, tip used, voltage applied to the EUT at that point (including magnitude and polarity), type of discharge (air or contact), and resulting operating behavior.

Full Version (Released Dec. 11,2015): MIL-STD-461G

Required Equipment

• ESD Simulator Gun
• LISN or other Isolation Transformer
• RGP: Ground Reference Plane (Aluminum or Sheet Metal)
• HCP: Horizontal Plane (Aluminum or Sheet Metal)
• VCP: Vertical Coupling Plane (Aluminum or Sheet Metal)
• 470 kOhm Resistor Cables to mount from HCP/VCP to GP
• Insulation Material (Polyvinyl Chloride preferred material)

A ground reference plane shall be provided on the floor of the laboratory. The EUT shall be connected to the grounding system and arranged and connected according to its installation specific cations. A distance of 1 m minimum shall be provided between the EUT and any metallic structure. The discharge return cable of the test generator shall be connected to the ground reference plane, and this connection shall be of low impedance.

In cases where the length of the cable exceeds the length necessary to apply the discharges to the selected points, the excess length shall be placed non-inductively off the ground reference plane and shall not come closer than 0.2 m to other conductive parts in the test set-up.

Ground reference plane: A copper or aluminum sheet of 0.25 mm minimum thickness: other materials may be used but they shall have at least 0.65 mm minimum thickness. The minimum size is 1 m2. The exact size depends on the EUT. It shall project beyond the EUT or coupling plane by at least 0.5 m on all sides. It shall be connected to the protective earth.

Coupling planes: These planes shall be constructed from the same material and thickness as that of the ground reference plane and shall be connected to the ground reference plane via a cable with a 470kΩ resistor located at each end.