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ESD mat and grounding

A project log for Portable Video Microscope

A folding high resolution video microscope for soldering and inspection

quinnQuinn 04/07/2017 at 03:310 Comments

As I am going to often use this for soldering work, the plastic platform is not an ESD safe working surface. Using some scrap rubber ESD mat, I custom cut and grounded a mat for the platform.

Cutting the mat is quite simple with utility scissors. I added one of the puncture type ground snaps in a far corner where it will not get in the way

Note that when I folded over the tabs on the back, I folded them outwards. I've seen installations folded inwards, and while it may make the protective cover stay on better, doing it that way tends to rip out of the mat over time. Folding outwards provides better support.

It covers with a rubber "sticker"

The grounding cable snapped on, and in place, you can see how it is out of the way. The arm just misses it.

To tie off the ground point, I drilled and tapped a hole on the bottom, and ran the wire right around the side.

Before doing this, I did grind off the paint to make good contact, and I ensured this was well connected to the earth ground. The two nearby screws from the inside are the internal ground connection, the top one connected directly to the AC input ground.

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