Laird Technologies, a leading designer and manufacturer of antennas, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, telematics and thermal management solutions, verified computer-simulated test results using custom-designed test equipment. This computer simulation verification included physical testing utilizing a custom designed and fabricated door cycle tester to conduct an actual Recyclable Clean Copper™ product gasket test and running the test to 500,000 cycles without product failure. The test proves that Laird Technologies’ new EMI gasket is durable, giving users peace of mind.
Laird Technologies designed and constructed the 500,000 cycle test using a gasket attached to a rail with the door moving in shear action against the gasket 500,000 times without product failure.
“This test is significant for two reasons,” said Peter Graustein, global product director. “The first reason is that Laird Technologies has the expertise and resources to design and build test equipment which, as far as we know, is the only equipment like it in the industry. There were 68 years of engineering expertise used to design and build the door cycle test environment specifically for the Recyclable Clean Copper gasket. The second reason is that we projected through computer simulations that Recyclable Clean Copper gaskets would last through 500,000 cycles. Now, through the 500,000 cycle test, we’ve validated what we already believed was true. Most companies do not perform mechanical tests to this degree. "
Laird Technologies’ Recyclable Clean Copper products are copper-based shielding gaskets that offer a beryllium-free EMI shielding solution for use in a wide range of slotted applications.
Recyclable Clean Copper gaskets meld strong stability with tensile strength to achieve high levels of thermal and electrical conductivity and elasticity making it suitable for utilization in both grounding and shielding applications at a rate that is comparable to traditional metal EMI shields.
“We are going the extra mile – first for the environment with our Recyclable Clean Copper product line and now for our customers through real-world testing and validation,” continued Graustein. “Our customers can feel confident about specifying products from Laird Technologies.”
Recyclable Clean Copper is fully compliant to EU RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC and alleviates the environmental, safety and segregation concerns associated with the traditional use and recycling of beryllium containing copper alloys. This gasket material is characterized by superior yield strength (up to 100 MPa) compared to other common copper alloys.
Key applications for this product include navigation and infotainment systems, NAS or SAN storage systems, high-end servers and communications display units, as well as base stations, handsets and network enclosures.
Prices range from 15 cents to more than $4.80 each with an average sales price between 45 and 79 cents. These prices compare favorably to current beryllium containing copper pricing and become even more advantageous as the overall cost for beryllium containing copper increases.
