This book was written to take the mystery out of ESD. It explains how ESD is generated, and how it affects electronic equipment. This explanation brings ESD out of the realm of black magic and into the sphere of science. Even more important, this book explains how to design equipment to prevent ESD problems. This discussion of ESD design solutions not only includes design guidelines, but explains why they work. It also exposes myths that have developed about ESD and why they are incorrect. Finally, this book discusses the methods of testing for ESD problems. This discussion covers not only the test hardware, but also test procedures and methods that ensure meaningful results. The information contained in the following pages should help the reader prevent many (if not most) ESD problems.