The present invention provides methods and systems for repeatably creating and severing a short circuit to protect an electronic component from ESD. A short circuit may be formed between read sensor pads of a read sensor by depositing a shorting material on a magnetic head using a Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) process. The short circuit may be unshorted using a laser scan configured to sever the shorting material. In one embodiment, a shorting station may be provided to prevent spreading of the shorting material to undesired areas of the electronic component.