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How an Anti Static Mat Works

If you are looking to invest in an anti static mat for your workers then you may be wondering how these products work. Our range of ESD mats are designed to help your workers stay safe in the workplace. Using innovative modern anti static technology, they are among the most reliable on the market. But how do our ESD products work to protect you, your workers, your equipment and your facilities from the dangers of electrostatic discharge?

Anti static mats, at their very simplest, are relatively simple pieces of equipment that can offer a huge number of benefits for your business.

When kept clean and in good condition, anti static mats and ESD table mat work to dissipate static that they come into contact with. By neutralising these electrostatic discharges, they are able to help you provide a static safe environment which is comfortable for your workers and equipment.

What is an Anti Static Mat?

One of the questions that we get asked on a regular basis is, what is an anti static mat? Why should I invest in an ESD mat for my workers. This is a fair question and is one that business owners in the electronics niche are perfectly entitled to ask.

In short, an anti static mat is a unique type of matting solution. They work to prevent your workers, components resting on the ESD table mat and nearby facilities—from getting damaged as a result of electrostatic discharge. The user would typically need to be grounded through the mat using a wrist strap and cord set, in combination with an earthing kit. This offers a number of benefits, of course, the most notable of which is that of increased worker safety.

An anti static mat or ESD matting is a specialist type of anti static matting solution. They provide protection for your equipment and workers from the dangers of electrostatic discharge – keeping everyone safe and happy!

ESD matting differs from ESD flooring in that they are not a specific flooring solution. Rather, an ESD mat is used over your existing flooring in order to provide protection for those in the vicinity of electrically charged components and equipment. Alternatively you can use an anti static mat on a table top, this provides ESD protection when working on your static sensitive components.

They come in a wide variety of different forms, and some ESD mats are even designed for use with other surfaces as well as flooring. For example, an ESD table mat is a highly popular choice of anti static product thanks to the fact that it can transform any table or bench into a much safer workspace.

Should My Business Invest in an ESD Mat?

At this point, you will probably still be wondering whether or not your business should make the investment into ESD matting. This is a viable consideration, as a lot of businesses will not directly benefit from making the investment. For some, however, the expenditure is essential in regards to ensuring a safe and productive working environment.

The Safety an Anti Static Mat Could Provide

The top benefit of choosing to provide your workers with an anti static mat, of course, is the safety that it offers. Anti static products help to dissipate the dangers of electrostatic discharge. This is especially important for workers in the electronics industry, where the risks of electrostatic discharge are greatest. However, a lot of other industries can also benefit.

Indeed, any workers who use lots of equipment regularly could be at risk. An ESD mat can help to protect them from this. In turn, this will increase worker safety and reduce the business’ costs, from both a legal perspective and an insurance perspective if applicable.

Electrostatic discharge is a very real threat. The dangers that they can pose are severe, especially in cases where neighbouring electronic equipment is also affected. In these cases, serious electrical fires can easily break out—and so preventing this before it occurs is clearly of great financial importance to a business.

ESD Mat For Productivity

Investing in anti static mats is important for a business, from a safety perspective. However, this increase in safety will benefit the business in more ways that just lowering the financial costs of a court claim against them. In fact, the extra safety can be directly relevant to worker morale and productivity.

A worker who feels comfortable and safe in their environment will naturally be happier. It should come as no surprise, of course, that happy workers are also more productive. In turn, this will lead to a greater output from each worker, and better profits for the business overall as a result of needing to hire fewer members of staff. Similarly in combination of purchasing an ESD bench mat, we would also recommend you consider our anti fatigue ESD mats. The ESD floor mats can be supplied either in our standard sizes or bespoke to your requirements, so that you are able to configure your workspace however best suits. With the benefits of ESD protection, these ESD anti fatigue flooring products also provide the benefit for comfort if you are standing for long hours. View our interlocking range of ESD anti fatigue mats with optional ramps for more information.

How does an ESD Mat Work?

An ESD mat is a worthwhile investment for a number of reasons, as detailed above. But how can a simple ESD table mat provide the aforementioned protection for an electrical item that is likely stored high above the anti static mat itself?

In short, an anti static mat works on the principles of conductivity. The ESD table mat itself is described as being static dissipative. This term indicates the ESD mat’s ability to conduct an electrical charge produced as a result of an electrostatic discharge, thereby rendering the discharge as harmless (or at least less harmful) to nearby equipment, facilities, and workers.

2 Layer ESD Mat and 3 Layer ESD Mat

An anti static mat, such as the range we offer at Anti-Static ESD, is typically made from either two or three layers. The static dissipative layers themselves are made from rubber, which are then adhered to a conductive black layer underneath or in between, for double and triple layered mats respectively.

This rubber layer provides a surface resistance of between 106 and 109 ohms per square meter. Meanwhile, the black conductive layer of our anti static mat then provides between 103 and 106 ohms per square meter of resistance. This helps to dissipate the effects of an electrostatic discharge.

Practicality

When it comes to providing for your workers, quality is key. Of course, an anti static mat is generally used in a commercial environment. As such, our range of ESD mats have been created with practicality in mind. All of our ESD table mats are highly durable and are made to be scratch resistant. In addition, they have been developed with our customers usage in mind, for example soldering on the ESD mats. Despite this, though, they are also easy to clean and maintain in a working environment.

The virgin grade rubber that we use in all of our mats also offers an excellent level of resistance to many common challenges. It can resist heat, chemicals, oil, grease and most common types of solvents. After all, the challenges presented in workplaces can be highly variable! This allows our range of anti static mats to be used for numerous different applications—both as work surfaces and flooring alike.

ESD Matting: What Types Are There?

Have you ever wondered about the many different types of ESD matting solutions out there? We offer a wide range of different ESD mats. As a result of this, you might be feeling a little unsure about which type is the right one for your needs. Well, don’t worry – we’re here to look at the different types of ESD rubber matting so that you can choose one which will provide you and your workers with the protection that you need!

How ESD Mats Help Combat Electrostatic Discharge

ESD mats are essential when setting up an EPA. Electrostatic discharge can be a real problem in environments with a lot of electrical equipment. Indeed, it can pose a real threat to the safety of you and your workers – and so, eliminating this ESD discharge is vital for the safety of you and your workers, as well as your business’ equipment. Fortunately, our range of ESD rubber mats can help with this.

ESD matting works to eliminate static which comes into contact with the mat by grounding out the charge. Only high quality ESD mats made from virgin grade conductive or dissipative materials for longevity and high performance, so it’s vital that you buy from a reputable supplier such as ourselves that are known for offering quality products.

ESD Table Mats vs Floor Mats: Which is Right for me?

You might be wondering about whether your business would benefit more from having ESD table mats or floor mats. There are pros and cons to both of these, which we have briefly explained below to help you make your decision about which type of ESD mat is right for you.

  • ESD table mats: table mats are great options for a variety of different applications. They are made with light colours, which is important for allowing your workers to find the tools that they are using quickly and safely. Moreover, they also tend to be thinner and lighter weight than floor mats. An ESD bench mat is usually finished with a smooth surface, also, allowing them to be easier to work with. A textured finish ESD matting option is also available should you require an ESD table mat more resistant to scratches.
  • ESD floor mats: floor mats are different to table mats in that they are designed, as you would imagine, for people to walk on and for equipment to be supported on. Floor mats are finished with a traction surface, either with grooves or heavy embossing, which helps improve grip. They are also heavier and thicker than ESD table mats, improving their durability, and dark in colour.

Why Choose ESD Rubber Matting?

There are a huge number of different reasons as to why you might want to choose ESD rubber mats for your requirements, regardless of whether you are looking at investing in an ESD bench mat or ESD floor mats. But what benefits can rubber offer over other flooring materials, such as standard vinyl floors?

There are numerous different reasons which make rubber a suitable material from which to make ESD bench mats and floor mats. Just a few of these benefits include the following:

  • Rubber is heat resistant which makes it particularly suitable in a working environment, especially if soldering irons and the like are being used. This is most notable for ESD bench mats, however, any surface which could be exposed to great heat will be able to benefit from this feature of rubber; after all, many other materials such as vinyl will melt.
  • Rubber is also stable at cold temperatures and will not contract or expand with changing temperatures as some other materials are prone to doing, which means you won’t have to worry about the ESD matting contorting out of shape after it’s installed.
  • Rubber is a stable chemical material and will not react with other chemicals and the like, which is important in an industrial workplace for ensuring the protection of workers and equipment alike.
  • Rubber is an affordable material to manufacture, and the savings in the production process can then be passed onto you as the buyer, ensuring that you get the best possible value for money from your ESD mats.
  • Rubber is waterproof and can be easily cleaned if there are any spillages, which is prone to happen at some point in time in a commercial industrial setting. Being easy to clean protects workers and equipment alike, and this is further enhanced by rubber’s inert nature; since it won’t cause a chemical reaction with the spilled chemicals, you won’t have to worry about the consequences of uncontrolled chemical reactions in the workplace. And, after all, this could be a very serious consequence indeed if left unchecked – and at best, could be a time consuming operation to clean up and replace the damage. Having a ESD table mat dissipates this risk. You may also want to consider using our ESD Mat Cleaner to thoroughly clean your ESD matting.

ESD Matting: All You Need to Know

When it comes to investing in the best ESD matting, it’s important that you know how to find a product that meets your needs. Indeed, not all ESD matting solutions are created equal, however, there are plenty of ways in which you can find out which products are the best ones for your needs!

Make Sure Your ESD Matting Stays Clean!

It is important to note that the efficacy of ESD matting will be reduced if they are not properly cleaned and cared for. Indeed, dirt and debris serves as an insulator, thereby negating the beneficial effects that the mat can offer.

There is a solution to this issue, though. High quality anti static mat cleaners are available which help to clean away any build-up of insulating material on your anti static matting. By doing so, the ESD mats are kept working at their peak and fully dissipative or conductive, allowing them to dissipate static discharges. Furthermore, it’s also worth noting that specialist anti static mat cleaners are designed so as not to degrade or wear away the anti static mat which could reduce the mat’s ability to dissipate electrostatic discharges.

The Benefits of Choosing Anti Static Mats

There are many benefits associated with choosing anti static mats or ESD matting for your business’ workspace or EPA. Some of these benefits include:

  • Additional safety for your workers and equipment! By providing anti static mats in areas where electrostatic discharges are common or likely, you will help to protect both your workers and equipment from getting damaged. This, of course, is important from a moral perspective; none of us want our workers getting hurt in the workplace, after all! It’ll also help you to avoid any nasty costs or bills associated with legal fees or having to replace damaged equipment – so really, it’s a win-win situation!
  • Better worker productivity – there are many different factors that can impact on worker productivity, and one of these factors is their happiness in the workplace. Of course, if your workers are working in fear of an electrostatic discharge, they’re not exactly going to be working at their best. Contrastingly, if you provide them with ESD matting then they will be able to relax more in the workplace, thereby improving their productivity and making the business itself more profitable too!
  • Highly practical and cost-effective solutions! This is a benefit that is particularly relevant in regards to ESD matting. Indeed, while the vast majority of ESD products are easy to use, they do require installation and can be more expensive than their “normal” counterparts. However, ESD matting can be used to quickly and easily transform a workspace from a non-protected area to a safe one. They can be used with your business’ existing facilities and equipment, too, cutting the cost of setting up ESD protection for your workers.
  • Highly effective anti static solutions! A high quality anti static mat is made from the best materials available on the market and serves to help dissipate any static in the environment directly around it. By doing so, you can be confident that your workspace will remain safe and comfortable for your workers at all times.

Why Choose our ESD Table Mats?

Our range of anti static mats and ESD table mats are all made to the highest specifications in order to ensure that your workers and equipment remain safe in the workspace. After all, the dangers of electrostatic discharge are very much real and could pose a big threat to anyone, or anything, in the vicinity of them; therefore, quality matting solutions are absolutely essential.

Our ESD table mats are made from the highest quality virgin static dissipative materials by some of the most professional ESD experts. We never compromise on the quality of our products, and neither should you! Don’t delay; to learn more about our range of ESD table mats and matting solutions, contact a member of our team or buy your anti static mat online today!

Final Thoughts

ESD table mats can offer a wide array of different benefits and can be very versatile in their use and application. Understanding this is important if you are to have success in keeping your workers and equipment safe – and that is why we are proud to be able to offer a wide range of different ESD matting solutions. To learn more about how our ESD mats could be the right products for your needs, contact a member of our team today to learn more. Simply call us on: 0121 3395 150.