Actum Electronics recently installed a combination EC (electrostatic conductive) floor at Grintek Ewation for its printed circuit board production area, as well as an SD (static dissipative) floor for its canteen and office areas. The flooring area installed exceeded 300 square metres.
Grintek Ewation is a South African system engineering company and a major supplier of innovative communication intelligence and security products and systems throughout the world. Its expertise lies in the conceptualisation, specification, development, implementation and support of systems for customers including government institutions, spectrum management authorities and national defence forces.
The flooring in the premises was installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions governing such flooring as well as standard BS 8203:1996. A conductive aluminium strip was placed on the sub-floor in a grid of the recommended shape and a conductive carbon-based adhesive was used to glue down the vinyl sheeting. The flooring material is manufactured to meet or exceed all required performance requirements.
As Actum points out, electrostatic discharge is a problem that cannot be ignored. The scuff of a shoe or the scrape of a chair creates an electron imbalance and, although the resulting discharge may be so small that the human body cannot feel it, it can nevertheless have serious consequences. In electronics manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, ordnance manufacture and storage, ESD incidents can often cause material, component or system failures, which may prove costly and sometimes even dangerous.
The Polyflor ESD range has been specifically engineered to combat this problem at source, by facilitating a uniform flow of static electricity directly to a ground point. The range covers all major applications, and includes SD, EC and conductive ROF floorings, each of which combines static control properties with hardwearing and decorative qualities. Installation is obviously critical and for this reason, Polyflor has partnered with the Altico division of Actum Electronics as its ESD flooring installer of choice.
EC flooring is a hardwearing homogenous commercial flooring product that is designed for areas which require static dissipative qualities. It is typically used for electronic assembly/repair areas, highly sensitive medical equipment, highly sensitive computer equipment, electronics etc. Resistance to earth is in the 5 x 104 to 1 x 106 Ω range.
SD flooring is a hardwearing homogenous contact sheet or tile floor covering engineered for ESD protection. It is typically used for computer operator installations, hospital theatre/CAT scan equipment, MRI units and telephone exchange. Resistance to earth ranges from 5 x 106 to 1 x 109 Ω.
Conductive flooring is generally used in explosive areas or manufacture of any explosive material, ammunition or highly sensitive chemicals, etc.
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| www: | www.actum.co.za |
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