Inexpensive ESD (static) protection.

Well thats just it, i get reels of parts for only shipping cost.
So i can build any circuit for dirt cheap.
i just need to know what to build.
And then i just have to pay for my PCB manufacturing cost and im good.
Maybe ill send you a message but all i want is a schematic.
But for the moment lasorb is not the only way to protect i need to find a good solution and soon.

Hehe, LASORB is indeed not "the only way to protect", but if you come to the same conclusion we did, after doing the same testing we did, then you will conclude that LASORB is the best way.

Anyway, best of luck in your endeavors!

Best regards,

William Benner

William from Pangolin brings up a very valid point. We build pointers that are worth, like, $50-100. Not worth it to use a Lasorb. If I were building something more complex, I would more strongly prefer to use a Lasorb over something that could also work.

It's like people hating on iPhones. Yes, you can do a lot of the same stuff on other platforms, but iPhones are simple enough for even the people in Sales to use.

It's like people hating on surefires. Yes, it's a flashlight, and yes it costs $150. But it turns on when you push the button 100% of the time. I have $20 flashlights much brighter than the surefire I own. Rarely, one will flicker or just straight up not turn on and I'll have to turn it off and on once more to get it to work. I can live with that. I just use a flashlight to light up stuff. Some people, however, depend on that light, and need it to come on right when they tell it to.

I don't want to go on, but this thread just kind of hit a nerve with me. If someone makes a product and is giving you all sorts of information about it, numbers, tests, etc., and you still ask for freebies and doubt their credibility, then I'd be discouraged to even offer anything at all.

Ok, end-rant. and this wasn't aimed at you, Kiyoukan, but at the foos who posted like, a year or two ago.

Pangolin said:

@Jerry,

We believe that the prices we charge are fair, and based on quantity scheme. I don't know your background, but if you study the inner workings of a company (a subject on which I'm involved in writing two separate business books -- see Facebook for the most up to date information), then you no doubt understand that companies have "overhead". If we charged $2 for a single-piece purchase of LASORB, I am sure we would lose money on overhead expenses. So for single-piece purchases, the cost of $8 is still far less than a laser diode, and if it prevents a catastrophe later on, then the cost seems tiny. If you want to buy many LASORB, then the price gets down to $2 each.

Best regards,

William Benner

Click to expand...

William,

I have been in the Industrial Electronics R&D field for over
25 years.... Yes I know what overhead is... I also know what
development costs are and ROI...

My point was that as any business trying to get into a new
arena of sales... sometimes selling samples even at cost may
reap benefits down the road..

I have no qualms about the price you are selling your product.
I have even bought a few fro you...
If I though the $8.00 plus shipping price tag was too high to
add a layer of added ESD protection to my $300.00 LDs....
I would not have bought any...

The only reason I responded to your posts was to find an easy
way to get some paid samples into the hands of a few members
here.


Jerry

So the method i posted would be a good thing to add to my driver or a bad thing?
All i got as an argument to go with lasorb and its to big to use.
Should my driver have a TVS 1k resistor along with 0.001uf cap?
Will those 3 things help reduce the chance of ESD damage?

I would say test your device/circuit on some cheap LDs and see..
You may have something there... Only testing will tell for sure...


Jerry

well my o scope is broken and i wanted to get good testing.
the only diodes i would have to test are 445nm diodes.
and they can take a good beating. so i dont think there what i want to test for esd.

kiyoukan said:

So the method i posted would be a good thing to add to my driver or a bad thing?
All i got as an argument to go with lasorb and its to big to use.
Should my driver have a TVS 1k resistor along with 0.001uf cap?
Will those 3 things help reduce the chance of ESD damage?

Click to expand...

The Digi-Key - 568-4044-1-ND (Manufacturer - PESD3V3S1UB would be fine for a 445 diode. If you were talking about red or IR laser diodes, I would go with a part that has a lower Vbr. Put your ESD suppression at the laser diode leads, not on the power supply board. A bad connection to a constant current driver (especially with a hefty output cap) can ruin your day.

well when i use my drivers i solder the leads directly to the board so would that be close enough as long as they were the last on the boards?
wont the 1k resistor that will be added not let the cap build up?

I've handled laser diodes maybe 100's of times, and often recklessly as far as ESD safety goes (Why? Cuz it takes time ), and yet I can't recall any of them die from it. Maybe it's the climate here, idk, or I'm just lucky. If you use a simple ESD wrist band while handling them you should be pretty safe. I can see why ESD protection is favored in projector or lab laser, while tweaking and whatnot (but you might just get away with it by not being clumsy), but at least ESD protection is not need in a pointer.

true but a TVS 1k resistor a 0.001uf cap would maybe add 0.50$ cents and maybe add life i dont see why to omit them

Yes absolutely, I recommend any cheap method, it can't make it more acceptable to ESD, so go for it. I just think lasorbs are way too expensive, even tho they are proven to work. I'm happy with a zener diode and a cap, it gives me peace of mind, even if it might be obsolete because the risk seems so very low anyway.

kiyoukan said:

well when i use my drivers i solder the leads directly to the board so would that be close enough as long as they were the last on the boards?
wont the 1k resistor that will be added not let the cap build up?

Click to expand...

That's close enough, then.

will it do any damage if a user does not solder directly and uses wires?

You want ESD protection components located at the laser diode because extra lead length increases lead inductance/resistance. Put the TVS, etc at the laser diode no matter how you are mounting it.

so should i just use a TVS or all 3 for the best results.