EMI/EMC Academy 10 Modules Interactive

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Immunity
From a Spark to IEC 61000-4-2 Compliance

Learn how invisible static electricity destroys electronics — and how engineers design products that survive real-world ESD events. This course covers the physics of charge build-up, the HBM/MM/CDM discharge models, IEC 61000-4-2 test levels and procedure, the ESD current waveform, failure mechanisms, TVS protection and PCB layout, 12 real-world debugging case studies, and a structured debugging workflow.

10
Core Modules
6h+
Learning Time
3
Discharge Models
12
Case Studies

Core Modules

Complete these 10 modules in order. Each builds on the previous.

01
Introduction & What Is ESD
What electrostatic discharge is, why nanosecond-scale events with 30-60 A peak currents can permanently damage a product, and the chain of events from a walked-across carpet to a reset IC.
Lesson~35 min
02
Physics of Static Electricity & Charge Build-Up
Triboelectric charging, electron transfer between materials, the triboelectric series, and how electric field builds until dielectric breakdown produces a spark.
Lesson~35 min
03
ESD Models: HBM, MM & CDM
Human Body Model, Machine Model, and Charged Device Model compared -- capacitance, resistance, rise time, and peak current for each.
Lesson~40 min
04
IEC 61000-4-2, Test Levels & Discharge Types
The IEC 61000-4-2 discharge network and waveform, test levels 1-4, and contact vs. air discharge compared side by side.
Lesson~40 min
05
ESD Generator, Test Setup & Current Waveform
The ESD gun, ground plane, coupling planes, and full lab setup, plus an interactive Plotly ESD current waveform with rise time and peak markers.
Lesson~40 min
06
Product Categories & Applicable Standards
Consumer, medical, industrial, automotive, military, avionics, telecom, IoT, railway, and renewable energy -- test levels and typical failures for each.
Lesson~35 min
07
How ESD Damages Electronics & Failure Mechanisms
The spark-to-permanent-damage chain, ground bounce, latch-up, and the symptom library: resets, memory corruption, USB/Ethernet disconnects, and more.
Lesson~40 min
08
TVS Protection & PCB Layout Best Practices
Interactive TVS clamping-voltage selector, plus good-vs-bad PCB layout for TVS placement, ground stitching, return paths, and connector routing.
Lesson~40 min
CS
Engineering Case Studies (12 Failures)
Twelve real-world ESD failures across medical, automotive, industrial, consumer, and telecom products, each with before/after plots, root cause, and fix.
Case Study Library~55 min
CS
Debugging Workflow, Simulator & Summary
An interactive frequency/symptom-based debugging decision tree, a live risk simulator, and a course-wide capstone knowledge check.
Capstone~35 min

Prerequisites

This course assumes foundational electronics knowledge. You should be comfortable with:

Basic PCB layout, grounding, and connector design
Familiarity with diode and TVS component basics
Basic oscilloscope operation and waveform reading
Reading component and product datasheets