IEC / EN 61000-4-2 ESD Test

IEC 61000-4-2 Testing Standard

IEC 61000-4-2 is one of the most commonly used ESD immunity compliance standards for commercial electronic products required for CE certification, UL, and other product certifications.

What is ESD?

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is the phenomenon that occurs when you shuffle across a carpet and touch a doorknob; ESD is ubiquitous. It happens unpredictably between high-density electronic components found in almost all modern devices like smartphones and televisions. The best approach is to take as many preventive measures as possible to avoid damage or malfunction when ESD occurs. Enter IEC 61000-4-2, the most widely used compliance standard for testing durability and certifying commercial electronic products.

IEC 61000-4-2 is one of the few EMC testing standards required to obtain CE certification, allowing you to sell your products in Europe (and making it easier to sell in most other regions). Below is a brief overview of the test levels performed under IEC 61000-4-2 compliance. For detailed documentation, you must purchase it from the IEC website.

Technical Terminology in IEC 61000-4-2

IEC 61000-4-2:2008 covers the CE certification immunity requirements and test methods for electrical and electronic equipment subjected to electrostatic discharges, which originate directly from operators, personnel, and nearby objects. It also defines the range of test levels related to different environments and installation conditions and establishes testing procedures.

The purpose of IEC 61000-4-2:2008 is to provide a common and reproducible basis for evaluating the performance of electrical and electronic equipment subjected to electrostatic discharges.

Additionally, it includes electrostatic discharges that may flow from personnel to objects near critical equipment. IEC 61000-4-2:2008 defines the typical waveform of the discharge current, the range of test levels, the test equipment, the test setup, test procedures, calibration procedures, and measurement uncertainty.