An open-frame flash-memory drive has a printed-circuit board assembly
(PCBA) with flash-memory chips, a controller chip, and a Serial
AT-Attachment (SATA) connector soldered to it. The PCBA is only partially
encased by left and right frames or by a U-shaped bracket frame. The
frames have PCBA supports and guide posts that fit near edges of the
PCBA. The frames do not cover the top and bottom of the PCBA, allowing
chips on the PCBA to be ventilated by unblocked air flow. Screws that
attach the PCBA to the frame have metal collars that ground the frame to
the PCBA's ground plane. The screws form a current path to draw any
electro-static-discharge (ESD) current off the frame and onto a PCBA
ground. When the SATA connector is inserted into a host, the host ground
sinks ESD currents collected by the open frame.