The equipment and tools we use at home or at work usually come from different periods – some are new, others we still have ” inherited from grandfather”. It is rare that we can afford the luxury of completing everything so as to meet our current expectations, shaped by the modern requirements of technology, ergonomics, functionality and aesthetics. However, we can always afford a thought experiment…
Such an experiment is worthwhile even when the chances of implementing its conclusions are low. Pragmatism dictates that the best knowledge about what is potentially available to us as a tool and what the competition is using. So let’s imagine that a spacious room opens up for us to build a workstation or workstations for manufacturing or servicing electronic devices that use various assembly technologies – from assembly with THT elements to SMT technology, not excluding „favourite” elements in BGA enclosures.
Whatever we intend to do at this dream workstation, the first piece of furniture – which allows us to organize the space according to the nature of the tasks, to place and install tools, instruments, measuring devices, accessories, materials, parts, documentation or whatever else we can come up with – is an industrial table. Simply put. Well, maybe not exactly „just”. In order to meet the diverse and often stringent requirements of users, manufacturers focus their attention on selected market segments, eventually becoming specialists, offering solutions in a particular area of reference. Already at the table stage, it turns out how important it is to be aware of the customer’s needs and knowledge of the customer’s workshop. A good example of this is the wide range of REECO brand products, which offer both antistatic tables and workstations for universal and specialised applications, for production, laboratory or service. The high flexibility resulting from the modular design allows not only to optimally select and assemble tops, shelves, handles, containers, etc., but also to change their position (mounting height, inclination angles) according to current needs. The right lighting was also thought of. The table presented in photo 1 with electric or manual height adjustment of the top allows to learn the „philosophy” of the construction and appreciate the possibilities of REECO equipment.
In practice, these possibilities are even more extensive, as the entire workstation environment can be selected according to its intended use, which involves transporting components, subassemblies or devices from the warehouse and between workstations. You can also supply stationary and mobile industrial cabinets as well as cabinets or storage racks with a design that ensures safe storage of parts, tools, accessories, documents, protective clothing, etc. For many elements of today’s workstations, strict ergon.omic and health and safety requirements are formulated. An operator working in comfortable conditions is more efficient, less often makes mistakes that can lead to faulty performance or, worse still, to an accident. Ensuring the right working posture, good lighting, noise protection, shock protection – all of this serves health, a value that cannot be overestimated.
In purely economic terms, these activities are equally important for any economic undertaking, as they reduce the risk of incurring costs associated with temporary or permanent incapacity to work, caused by inadequate working conditions. With a view to, among other things, ensuring the right attitude at work, we proposed the REECO antistatic esd table as an ergonomic benchmark. We will also have to remember about ergonomics when buying devices, instruments and tools. Before that, you should choose a chair. Seemingly, it may seem that we will find good enough in an average office furniture shop. However, if we really care about ergonomics, high adjustment possibilities, antistatic coating, durability and aesthetics – let’s rely on the offer of specialists, manufacturers of antistatic esd chairs intended for use in the electronics industry, laboratories, services, offices and technical rooms. REECO is one of these manufacturers.
If, for some reason, additional lighting is needed, it is best to use a workstation lamp placed on a long extension arm, which allows for secure attachment to a tabletop or shelf and free operation of the light source in all planes. When selecting the workstation lamps, it is worth paying attention to the power of the light source and its efficiency. The colour of the light, the shape of evenly lit area, the dimensions of the housing, as well as maintaining a good proportion between the ease of changing the position of the lamp and the ability to maintain the setting, even despite adverse external influences, such as vibrations, are also very important. Housing colour? There must be a choice! Some technological processes are associated with special risks, e.g. when soldering, fumes and fumes with harmful properties are emitted.
They also have a negative effect on devices and tools, such as accelerating corrosion of contacts in meter switches or relays. At workstations where electronic components and systems are assembled or disassembled, efficient fume and vapour traps and continuous filtering of solid and gaseous air pollutants must be provided. Depending on the needs resulting from the scale of the process (soldering time, circuit dimensions, type of devices or systems used for assembly/disassembly, number of workstations), a device or system for the extraction and filtration should be selected.
Simple table-top absorbers, portable absorbers for one to four stands, microprocessor-controlled stationary smoke and fume filtration systems, cooperating with various accessories installed even on several stands – these are selected from the offer of PACE company, well known from the production of soldering stations, devices and systems for assembly/disassembly of electronic components and systems.
Anti-static protection is an important issue, requiring careful selection of means. In principle, all furniture, tools and accessories intended for use in the manufacture and servicing of modern electronic devices should take into account the relevant safety conditions. However, this may often not be sufficient and it will be necessary to supplement the workstation equipment with antistatic mats, tiles and flooring that is dissipative or conductive, ionizers, as well as accessories for operators, such as wristbands, shoe bands and antistatic clothing.
You can see the wide range of possibilities in this area when you look at 3M’s offer. If we scrupulously, step by step, compare our needs with the capabilities of the products offered by the above mentioned specialist companies, we will surely put together a complete and modern workstation, allowing for efficient, safe work for a long time. A great facilitation in designing and configuring a workstation is the possibility to use the help of an experienced advisor who, on the one hand, knows the specific needs related to the production and service of electronic devices and, on the other hand, has full up-to-date knowledge of the above mentioned groups of devices, systems and accessories.
Configuration, completion, commissioning, training, and then service care of the whole – this can be expected by the user and is undoubtedly a convenient and effective solution. However, the workstation is not ready to work without devices, tools, materials and accessories used directly in the assembly, diagnostics or disassembly processes. Fortunately, most of this equipment is also available at the same address. This is certainly a contribution to another thought experiment.