ThingMagic M6e - Manual (Page 95)

Appendix C: Environmental Considerations 95
Appendix C: Environmental
Considerations
This Appendix details environmental factors that should be considered relating to reader
performance and survivability.
ElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) Considerations
W A R N I N G !
The M6e antenna ports may be susceptible to damage from Electrostatic
Discharge (ESD). Equipment failure can result if the antenna or communication
ports are subjected to ESD. Standard ESD precautions should be taken during
installation to avoid static discharge when handling or making connections to
the M6 reader antenna or communication ports. Environmental analysis should
also be performed to ensure static is not building up on and around the antennas,
possibly causing discharges during operation.
ESD Damage Overview
In M6e-based reader installations where readers have failed without known cause, based
on anecdotal information ESD has been found to be the most common cause. Failures
due to ESD tend to be in the M6e power amplifier section (PA). PA failures typically
manifest themselves at the software interface in the following ways:

RF operations (read, write, etc.) respond with Assert - 7F01 - indicating a a fatal error.
This is typically due the the module not being able to reach the target power level due
to PA damage.
 RF operations (read, write, etc.) respond with No Antenna Connected/Detected
even when a known good antenna is attached.
 Unexpected Invalid Command errors, indicating command not supported, when that
command had worked just fine shortly before. The reason a command becomes
suddenly not supported is that the reader, in the course of its self protection routines,