Any person concerned with the security of goods being shipped or stored understands the importance of appropriate packaging. Not only is opening a box to find a damaged item a disappointment, poorly packed items result in unnecessary costs to both buyers and sellers. Using foam is one of the best ways to make sure something leaves a box in its original condition. Certain products though, may require an extra degree of protection that standard foam is unable to provide. For packaging electronics and electronic components, Foam Factory, Inc. manufactures Anti-Static foam products that dissipate electro-static charges, keeping delicate materials safe in a way other materials cannot.
Electro-static charges are present all around us at all times and can be generated through things as simple as the friction of setting down an object or the movement of the human body. Electrical storms can charge the air and even walking across a carpeted floor can generate enough static to shock you when you reach the door. These omnipresent charges mean accidental damage to electronics is a perpetual danger. With the materials and labor required to make delicate components for products we rely on every day, a single static charge can cause hundreds or thousands of dollars in damage.
Anti-Static foam’s electro-static dissipation characteristics can help reduce the chances of damage. Offered in both open-cell polyurethane and closed-cell polyethylene foam types, there is an Anti-Static foam variety to suit any purpose. Custom cutting of these foam types is also offered in either individual or bulk batches. Foam Factory’s precision cutting machinery can shape foam to the exact dimensions needed to snugly encase a product. The pink foam makes it easy for manufacturers to know they are using the proper materials for a job and also signals to customers that all appropriate measures are being taken to safely ship their product.
Both the open-cell and closed-cell varieties of the foam have dissipative additives included during the formulation of the foam to ensure even distribution for thorough performance. After being formed, Anti-Static foam is able to dissipate charges generated by friction, other components in close proximity and even human handlers. Foam Factory’s open-celled Anti-Static sheets range in thickness from ¼ of an inch up to 40 solid inches of material, cut straight from the bulk form for specialized use. The polyethylene variety can be as thin as ¼ of an inch with thicknesses of any size able to be created by laminating sheets together.
Open-celled Anti-Static foam has greater cutting versatility and as a result, is offered in convoluted/eggcrate and Pick and Pull Grid varieties in addition to the standard sheet form. When combined in the same casing system, these packaging materials can provide protection and security on all sides, individually sized to the item’s dimensions. Solid foam is an excellent absorptive base layer, Pick and Pull Grid forms a customizable form-fit layer with eggcrate providing a cushioning lid layer. With a lower density than the closed-cell type, open-cell Anti-Static foam is appropriate for packing smaller and lighter goods, like motherboards, wiring or individual components or products.
The greater density and structural rigidity of polyethylene makes it a more durable material, holding up better to greater loads than the more easily compressed open-cell variety. This makes it a superb product for whole computer towers, sound equipment and other larger or heavy items. It also meets electro-static decay testing standard EIA 541, with a dissipation rating under two seconds as well as satisfying surface resistivity requirements.
Custom cases are another practical use for Anti-Static foam, in addition to its electronic packaging, shipping and storage uses. To keep possessions safe, many people utilize form-fit foam inserts for their laptop, camera case or delicate work tools. This protects them against impact and movement, but the potential for electro-static damage is still present. Using Anti-Static foam for custom case inserts allows the user to have the same benefits of traditional foam packaging design with the added benefit of protection against charges. Foam Factory is able to create an Anti-Static foam packaging insert individualized to a product’s dimensions for a safe, protective fit that nearly eliminates movement within the casing while guarding against charges. These custom-cut foam packaging inserts can be made individually for a single use, or in large, identical quantities for the shipping or storage of many items.
The inclusion of Anti-Static foam in product packaging has another benefit to manufacturers and retailers who produce and sell electronic equipment. A short note included in the shipment can explain why their product is packaged in unusual pink foam and demonstrate to the customer your willingness to take every precaution necessary to provide them with the best products and service possible.
Anti-Static foam is a necessity for the safe packaging of sensitive and expensive electronics. Guarding your belongings or products against things we can see or take precaution against is easy. However, electro-static charges, with the potential to destroy a product just as easily as a fall to the ground, cannot be as easily controlled. But with Foam Factory’s Anti-Static foam, you can have that added level of protection against an invisible foe and protect your belongings and products.
