Reproducibility analysis during ESD testing of a SpaceWire link simulator

Electrostatic Discharge testing according to IEC 61000-4-2 ensures for over three decades the immunity of electronic equipment against transient disturbances. However, reproducibility of the test results across laboratories remains a formidable challenge. This study investigates the influence of operator-dependent factors and test arrangement variations on the ESD current waveform reproducibility uncertainty, while focusing on the newly introduced parameter regulating the second ESD pulse peak in the upcoming IEC 61000-4-2 revision. A SpaceWire link simulator is tested under different operator conditions assessing the reproducibility uncertainty in waveform characteristics and failure criteria. The findings provide insight into the impact of human influence on IEC 61000-4-2 compliance testing and highlight the most important uncertainty sources contributing to the refinement of ESD immunity assessments and supporting future standardization efforts.