Your device faces a static shock every day. Will it survive?
IEC 61000-4-2 ESD testing tells you the truth. Here are the 5 key points you need to know:
What it is
The international standard for electrostatic discharge (ESD) immunity testing. It simulates a charged human touching your electronics — a single zap can reset, corrupt, or even kill a device.
Test levels
• Contact discharge: ±2 / ±4 / ±6 /···/±20 kV
• Air discharge: ±2 / ±4 / ±8 /···/±20 kV
Level 4 is the common target for most electronic products.
The discharge model
A 150 pF capacitor and a 330 Ω resistor recreate the human body's discharge waveform, with a current rise time under 1 nanosecond.
Test methods
Direct contact discharge, air discharge, plus indirect discharge via horizontal and vertical coupling planes (HCP/VCP). Both polarities, multiple discharges per test point.
Acceptance criteria
Performance criteria A, B and C define what "pass" means:
• A — normal operation continues, no degradation
• B — temporary degradation, self-recovers after the test
• C — function loss, recoverable by operator intervention
Design for ESD. Test to IEC 61000-4-2. ESD-20 Ship with confidence. 
