Founded in 1982, the ESD Association is a professional voluntary association dedicated to advancing the theory and practice of electrostatic discharge (ESD) avoidance. From fewer than 100 members, the Association has grown to more than 2,000 members throughout the world. From an initial emphasis on the effects of ESD on electronic components, the Association has broadened its horizons to include areas such as textiles, plastics, web processing, cleanrooms, and graphic arts. To meet the needs of a continually changing environment, the Association is chartered to expand ESD awareness through standards development, educational programs, local chapters, publications, tutorials, certification, and symposia. A World-Wide Organization Although founded and headquartered in the United States, the ESD Association has a strong international flavor. Its members come from more than 30 countries throughout the world. They serve on Association Standards Committees, present technical papers at the annual EOS/ESD Symposium, and provide the communication links with similar organizations in other countries. The ESD Association has the responsibility of representing the interest of the United States at the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in the area of electrostatics. With the increasing need for global harmonization in the area of standards, the international focus of the ESD Association is vitally important.
