Parker Chomerics EMI Shielding Material Guide
Designing a device that requires EMI shielding is no easy task. Ensure your device accomplishes its goal by using high-quality Parker Chomerics materials.
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EMI Shielding Gasket Design Questions
The design phase is easily the most difficult part of bringing your life-changing and life-saving devices to reality. Determining which EMI gasket material will work well with your design is as much of a science as it is an art. Ask yourself the following questions to help guide your decision-making process.
What type of filler do I need?
The metal filler you choose is a large part of the decision making process in creating an effective EMI shield. Different fillers have significant impacts on total material cost, which can be a driving factor in the design.
The gasket type will also dictate what filler materials are available, whether you choose a fabric-over-foam solution, rubber-based material or solids, FIP materials, or a foam solution. Be sure to review each type of gasket (above) to dive deeper into which fillers are available for each type.
From a high level, your filler options are:
- Silver
- Silver aluminum
- Silver nickel
- Silver copper
- Nickel graphite
Again, cost can be a huge driver of a project and each of these fillers has their own costs associated. Silver is typically the most expensive and nickel graphite is the least expensive. The filler you choose will be based on a variety of considerations including the application and other components of your design.
Is galvanic compatibility a concern?
Galvanic corrosion happens when there is an exchange of electrons between two metals that come into contact. Your goal is to select an EMI shielding material that will not cause galvanic corrosion when it comes into contact with your housing (this is a recipe for device failure).
Refer to a chart like the one below to help you select a filler material that will suit the needs of your housing and application.
What are my shielding effectiveness requirements?
Many industries have their own shielding effectiveness requirements that will dictate what you can use and under what circumstances. Shielding effectiveness refers to how well a given part reflects or absorbs electromagnetic radiation.
In military applications for example, you may be required to meet MIL-STD-285, which is the military standard for electromagnetic shielding. In the medical device industry you may be required to meet the IEC 60601-1-2 standard.
What kind of environment will this device be exposed to?
Where is your device headed? The type of environment that your EMI shielding gasket will be exposed to is a critical consideration in determining what EMI shielding material you choose from Parker Chomerics. Medical devices are particularly at risk of seal degradation due to the repeated exposure of harsh cleaning chemicals that hospitals employ. Can your chosen materials stand up to that?
While reading a product catalog may help steer your decisions, enlisting the help of a trusted partner like Modus can take some of the weight of decision-making off your shoulders.
What are the space and weight constraints?
If space and weight are a concern, choosing a lighter and/or smaller gasket may be a better choice, while still ensuring an adequate shielding and overall effectiveness.
Are there any compression requirements?
Conductive elastomer gaskets, for example, are better suited for environments that require higher degree of compression for longer periods of time. They’re also a better choice for sealing surfaces that are uneven or rough. Conductive fabric gaskets, on the other hand, are more compressible and can conform better to surfaces with less compression force.
Medical Devices
Handheld and portable devices have a demand unlike any other in that they are critical to life support and patient monitoring. These devices are increasingly becoming smaller in size which means that the EMI shielding and grounding need to be robust enough yet considerate of size in order to meet compliance.
As you can see in the image below, Parker Chomerics is ready for the challenge. The example illustrates a variety of EMI shielding materials, such as CHOFORM and SOFTSHIELD, used on a portable product such as a monitor.
Aerospace and Defense
The core markets that Parker Chomerics serves is the aerospace and defense industries. The integrated systems solutions allow for a one stop shop, so to speak, with your budget in mind. Parker Chomerics understands that the highest performance standards must be achieved while holding closely to costs, so they’ve designed solutions that check all the boxes. You’ll find their products in a variety of use cases including, but not limited to:
Defense Applications
Aerospace Applications
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