Actum Electronics has installed over 2000 square metres of static dissipative (SD) flooring at Microtronix’ facility in Randburg, including the surface mount production area as well as the manufacturing floor.
With the threat of electrostatic discharge (ESD) looming everywhere in electronic work areas – floors, chairs, work surfaces, packaging materials, etc. – it is essential for a company like Microtronix, which contract manufactures for key clients in the mining, commercial, military and vehicle and asset tracking sectors, to protect against costly and unnecessary material, component or system failures.
For this installation, a conductive aluminium strip was placed on the cement sub-floor in the manufacturing area. As concrete is a poor conductor of electricity, this type of flooring needs to be laid using a conductive carbon-based adhesive to glue down the vinyl sheeting, and this is then earthed to drain the discharge. The flooring was installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions governing such flooring, as well as standard BS 8203:1996.
The type of flooring installed consists of hard wearing homogenous contact sheets or tile floor coverings engineered for ESD protection. This type of flooring is ideal for use where static control is required, but the resistance level of the floor does not need to be as low as that provided by a conductive floor. SD floor coverings are chemically treated to discharge static electricity and must be used in a controlled environment with a relative humidity of more than 40%.
The Polyflor ESD range of flooring has been specifically engineered to combat static at the source, by facilitating a uniform flow of static electricity directly to a ground point. The range covers all major applications, and includes SD, EC (electrostatic conductive) and conductive ROF floorings, each of which combines static control properties with hard wearing and decorative qualities.
Since installation is critical, Polyflor has partnered with the Altico division of Actum Electronics as its ESD flooring installer of choice. Actum offers a comprehensive range of static control solutions and conducts audits of premises prior to specification. The company installs, tests and provides certification for its work. Actum also offers ESD training, which enables employees to gain a better understanding of the basics of ESD, standards, procedures and handling.
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