RTP Company: The Global Leader in Specialty Compounding

End-Use Case Study —

Anti-Static Storage Bins

• ICP Compound Offers the Best Solution for ESD Protection

It has been estimated that as many as one-third of all electronics parts have incurred some kind of damage from static electricity. Losses attributed to this phenomenon account for as much as 5% of total electronic goods sales and, by any estimate, cost billions of dollars annually. To reduce losses, "static safe" products, materials, and processing techniques have been developed.

Akro-Mils located in Akron, OH specializes in material handling and storage systems. Their totes and bins can be found worldwide, helping manufacturers sort, store, and transport parts safely and efficiently. For their electronics customers, Akro-Mils has long offered a line of bins designed to collect and bleed static away from their sensitive cargo. Recent work with RTP Company has allowed Akro-Mils to refine their offering, improving product performance and streamlining the manufacturing process.

The most common test for electrostatic dissipation (ESD) is surface resistivity, measuring electrical resistance for a given area and is expressed in ohms per square. It is widely recognized that the most effective dissipation occurs in the range of 10⁶ to 10⁹ ohms/sq. Materials exhibiting resistance above this range are more insulative in nature and can not effectively bleed away dangerous charges. Those below this range inversely may remove a charge so quickly that a harmful electromagnetic field may be created.

Some plastic materials have achieved a small measure of ESD protection through the use of conductive coatings or migratory additives. These technologies are easily negated by environmental conditions, or migrate from the part surface over time depleting their effectiveness at providing ESD protection. Coatings add yet another expensive production step and often involve the use of volatile solvents.

To overcome these challenges, RTP Company recommended Akro-Mils begin using a ICP 100 Series polyolefin-based compound containing an Inherently Conductive Polymer (ICP) additive in their storage systems. ICPs can be synthesized as conductive materials and designed to impart conductivity into thermoplastic compounds, thus providing ESD protection.

RTP Company is the first material supplier to offer ICP technology in thermoplastic compounds and has developed a proprietary process to incorporate ICPs into a host resin. The resulting compounds process and perform similarly to the matrix resin and, most importantly, offer a consistent range of surface resistivity ideal for ESD protection. According to Tom Memmen, Akro-Mils Conductive Products Manager, the new material produces readings "consistently in the range of 10⁶ to 10⁹ ohms per square." "The material it replaces often registered above 10¹⁰," he said.

The previous material had a relatively high glass content that required higher processing temperatures, often releasing pungent odors. Mike Smith, Akro-Mils Operations Manager, said "This material gives us a better surface, better dimensions, and better changeover. Purgings were killing us and the fumes were a nuisance. The ICP material processes like any other polyolefin,"

Memmen also cites RTP Company's all-around involvement as contributing to the success of Akro-Mils' new and improved ESD-class bins. "RTP Company worked with us to study and standardize our test methods," said Memmen, "and that is truly valuable technical assistance. RTP Company also offers a reliable supply of material that keeps our inventories and lead times controlled, which means no more worry about managing imported material supplies. We now offer our customers an improved product and enjoy improved production while doing it."

Akro-Mils of Akron, OH is a division of Myers Industries, Inc. They manufacture and supply material handling and storage systems for a wide variety of industries. For more information visit their website at www.akro-mils.com.

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