Manufacturing, 3D Printers, DIY. Arduino. Electrostatic discharge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Iceweasel. Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is the sudden flow of electricity between two electrically charged objects caused by contact, an electrical short, or dielectric breakdown.
A buildup of static electricity can be caused by tribocharging or by electrostatic induction. The ESD occurs when differently-charged objects are brought close together or when the dielectric between them breaks down, often creating a visible spark.