Product Category Overview
This category reference describes documented static meters and related measurement equipment product types, comparison fields, manufacturer references, and source-linked model records. It is a product-category reference; the related Technology & Applications and Product Guides pages address control principles and step-by-step selection, installation, maintenance, measurement, or verification methods.
Source checked: August 2026.
What Are Static Meters?
Static meters are instruments used to investigate electrostatic field, surface-potential, charge, and related process conditions. A handheld fieldmeter or voltmeter can support a defined investigation at a target surface or object. An in-line electrostatic sensor can support monitoring at a specified process location. Other equipment classes, such as charged-plate monitors and surface-resistance instruments, answer different verification questions and should not be treated as interchangeable with a general field reading. 1 2
The measurement task determines the category. The instrument does not by itself prove that static is controlled throughout a facility or process.
Documented Measurement Contexts
Static measurement gives an investigation a defined evidence path. It can help characterize charge or electric-field conditions at a representative target, identify a process change, support troubleshooting, or determine whether a selected control should be evaluated further. It is useful for process monitoring only when the target, geometry, process state, method, and decision are clear.
For ESD control, a field or charge investigation is distinct from verifying a personnel, workstation, grounding, packaging, material, or ionization requirement. Measuring Static Charge and Electric Fields addresses charge and field investigation. Ionizer Balance, Decay Time and Performance Verification addresses the separate ionization-performance task. ESD Testers for Workstation Control provides category context for related ESD-control verification equipment.
Product Types
Static measurement categories should be classified first by the decision they support, then by deployment form and test method. A reference record should capture what is measured, whether the instrument is handheld or installed, the target condition, the output or record behavior, and the official method or source that gives the result meaning.
| Product type | Measurement objective | Deployment form | Technical information to compare | Interpretation boundary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrostatic fieldmeter / voltmeter | Point investigation of an electric-field or surface-potential condition. | Handheld or portable. | Sensing type, stated range, spacing guidance, target geometry, display / output, official source. | Target size, spacing, geometry, movement, and method influence interpretation. |
| Electrostatic sensor | Local check or continuous monitoring of a defined process location. | Handheld or in-line. | Deployment mode, monitoring location, distance behavior, sampling / output, integration field, official source. | A process trend is not the same as a spot measurement. |
| Surface resistance meter | Material-control testing for conductive, dissipative, or insulating material behavior. | Portable test instrument with method-specific setup. | Resistance method, electrode/setup field, test range, record basis, official source. | A resistance method is separate from a general field measurement. 3 |
| Charged-plate monitor | Defined evaluation of ionizer offset voltage and discharge or decay behavior. | Portable or installed test apparatus. | Test method, plate / target setup, offset-voltage field, discharge-time field, official source. | A CPM result does not replace a field survey or workstation test. |
| ESD-control tester | Verification of a personnel, workstation, grounding, or related installed control item. | Program-specific tester or test kit. | Control item, test method, pass/fail basis, record field, official source. | Use the written ESD-control program; this is not a field or charge reading. |
Product Comparison Criteria
Compare the documented product attributes below when reviewing category records. These fields support product-to-product comparison; they do not prescribe a complete static-control method or a step-by-step selection workflow. Use the related Technology & Applications and Product Guides pages for those separate questions.
| Decision dimension | Information to define or record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Measurement decision | Field/charge investigation, process trend monitoring, material resistance testing, ionizer verification, or ESD-control verification. | Selects the correct product type and prevents a measurement from being used outside its method. |
| Target and process condition | Target material, geometry, movement, process point, expected condition, and environmental context. | Determines whether a portable check, in-line monitor, or test-specific method is representative. |
| Measurement performance | Stated range, accuracy, resolution, response, and distance behavior. | Must be compared with the expected condition using the manufacturer’s documented method. |
| Deployment and data use | Handheld, portable, or in-line form; display, analog / digital output, data record, and integration requirements. | A spot reading and a continuous trend serve different decisions. |
| Method and provenance | Applicable test method, calibration / service statement, official document link, and record requirement. | Gives the result a defined basis without turning it into a general compliance conclusion. |
No universal measurement range, accuracy, distance, resistance value, or calibration interval belongs on this category page. The official documentation and applicable process method govern the actual use.
Technical Specifications
Fields not documented in the cited source are not inferred from another model, family, or manufacturer. They remain recorded as Not documented until an applicable official source is available.
| Field group | Technical information to compare | General meaning | Record and interpretation boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product identity | Manufacturer, brand, model / series, measurement type | Identifies the manufacturer documentation. | Retain official source link and source status; do not infer availability. |
| Measurement capability | Sensing principle, stated range, accuracy, resolution, response / sampling behavior | Describes the official measurement capability. | Conditions, target and method can differ across products. |
| Target and geometry | Measurement distance, target size or geometry, compensation behavior | Describes the target condition assumed by a method or product. | Non-contact readings may change with distance and object geometry. |
| Deployment and data | Handheld / in-line form, display, analog / digital output, record or integration field | Describes how data is acquired and used. | A portable observation and an in-line trend are different evidence. |
| Verification method | Resistance method, charged-plate setup, ionizer performance field, ESD-control item | Connects the equipment category to the relevant verification question. | Requires applicable method, setup, and written-program basis. |
| Service and provenance | Calibration statement, service documentation, official source link, record status | Connects the model reference to evidence. | Calibration status does not replace a correct method or representative setup. |
Manufacturer References
Inclusion does not constitute a ranking or recommendation. Manufacturer entries identify documented category presence and official reference material only.
The entries below are neutral industry references selected from official sources reviewed for this page. Region describes the cited company reference rather than the manufacturing origin of every instrument. Inclusion is not a ranking or a recommendation.
| Manufacturer / brand | Region reference | Category presence | Neutral reference scope | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simco-Ion | United States | Compact electrostatic fieldmeters for locating and measuring static charge | Official product documentation available for fieldmeter reference. | FMX-004 official page |
| Advanced Energy / Trek | United States | Hand-held electrostatic voltmeters and ESD instrumentation | Official product documentation available for portable voltmeter reference. | Trek 520 Series official page About Advanced Energy |
| KEYENCE | Japan; global industrial-automation company | Handheld and in-line electrostatic sensors for manufacturing processes | Official series documentation available for portable and in-line sensor reference. | Electrostatic Sensors official page Corporate overview |
Product Model References
Each entry links to official manufacturer documentation and remains category-level reference information. Where available, individual Product Model pages provide additional manufacturer-sourced technical information. Current manufacturer specifications, service information and application documentation remain controlling.
| Brand | Model / series | Measurement type | Deployment / sensing form | Reference fields documented by official source | Record status | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Simco-Ion | FMX-004 | Handheld electrostatic fieldmeter | Portable field / charge investigation at a defined target. | Field range, target-distance guidance, display, and ion-balance mode. Source | Official-source category reference. | | Advanced Energy / Trek | Trek 520 Series | Hand-held electrostatic voltmeter series | Non-contact surface-voltage measurement for ESD applications. | Model versions, surface-voltage behavior, range, accuracy, response, and calibration certificate information. Source | Official-source category reference. | | KEYENCE | SK-H and SK Series | Handheld and in-line electrostatic sensors | Local measurement or continuous process-line monitoring. | Handheld/in-line form, distance behavior, target considerations, and monitoring context. Source | Official-source category reference. |
Comparing Product Models
| Model / series | Product type | Deployment / sensing reference | Fields requiring model-specific review | Application question to verify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FMX-004 | Handheld fieldmeter | Portable electrostatic field measurement with official distance guidance. | Target geometry, expected condition, range, distance, current documentation. | Does the target geometry and expected charge condition fit the documented method? |
| Trek 520 Series | Hand-held electrostatic voltmeter | Non-contact surface-voltage measurement. | Version, range, accuracy, response, calibration support, current documentation. | Does the documented spacing behavior, version, range, and method fit the task? |
| SK-H / SK Series | Handheld or in-line electrostatic sensor | Local or continuous electrostatic measurement. | Deployment mode, target movement, distance behavior, data integration, current documentation. | Does the process need a spot check or a defined in-line monitoring location? |
Reference note — This page provides product-category information, documented comparison fields, manufacturer references, and model records. It does not provide price, inventory, current availability, rankings, or purchasing recommendations. Consult the cited official documentation for current model-specific information.
References
- EOS/ESD Association, Fundamentals of Electrostatic Discharge: Part Six—ESD Standards
- KEYENCE, Electrostatic Sensors
- EOS/ESD Association, Fundamentals of Electrostatic Discharge: Part Three—Basic ESD Control Procedures and Materials
- Simco-Ion, FMX-004 Electrostatic Fieldmeter
- Advanced Energy, Trek 520 Series