Summary of ESD Flooring Comparisons
This study was conducted with the intent of providing a thorough characterization of the electrical & mechanical properties of ESD flooring.
The three traditional approaches to evaluating floor materials were analyzed and found to be inappropriate methods of characterization for IC handling applications. Many different floor types were included as part of this study. Base don the three traditional test methods, some of the floors appeared to "meet" the requirements.
 Staticworx® ESD vinyl tile in use at Fawn Electronics in NC 
Installed at Motorola |
However, when the tests were modified to include various footwear and human body testing, along with mechanical analysis, these same floors failed. Other floors displayed excellent electrical characteristics, but failed mechanical testing, while some failed both electrical & mechanical requirements.
One additional point that needs to be considered is the "TRUE" cost of a floor. The cost of initial installation, along with maintenance and replacement costs needs to be considered before purchasing any type of flooring. All of the vinyl floors displayed varying degrees of marking and dirt retention that could be alleviated by the topical application of an ESD wax on a regular basis. In order to determine the true cost of this type of floor, you may need to factor in the cost of applying an ESD wax over the ESD vinyl tile. Using estimates from a local janitorial service for a 2-coat application of an ESD wax, the following calculations were made.
Based on a room with 2000 square feet of floor space, the average cost of applying an ESD floor finish to a standard vinyl tile over a 10 year span is approximately $2,910 per year. The cost for that same room with a permanent ESD vinyl tile floor without an ESD wax, including the initial cost of installation, over a 10 year span is approximately $1,790 per year. Adjusting these numbers for a room with 10,000 square feet of floor space equates to an annual cost of $8,950 for an ESD floor and $14,500 for the ESD floor finish over standard vinyl tile.
What does this mean? Standard vinyl tiled floors with an ESD wax application may appear to be the least expensive option when choosing an ESD floor. However, when local maintenance costs are factored in, the cost may rise significantly, exceeding the cost of a permanent ESD flooring system. In comparison, the initial cost of the rubber flooring may be significantly higher than that of the vinyl floor, but over a ten year period, with no wax applications necessary, the cost may be significantly less than that of the ESD vinyl tiles. The majority of urethanes , epoxies and acrylic floors were quoted at higher than vinyl tile prices, and less than rubber flooring, but may need repeated recoatings. Since the cost of any ESD flooring, ESD wax or labor will vary around the world, a thorough cost analysis, including maintenance, should be calculated prior to making any purchasing decisions.
Introduction | Experiment Overview | Procedures | Results | Economics | Summary | Conclusion | Credits
