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ESD Materials
3D Printing, Thermoforming and Machining
Electrostatic discharge materials (ESD materials) are materials that reduce static electricity build up. A minimum static dissipative class of materials (all metals and ceramics and some plastics) with 10^6 to 10^9 Ohms is required to eliminate electrical discharge to or from human contact. These materials are frequently required in the following applications:
Electronic circuitry – to prevent static charge from shorting circuit boards, damaging sensitive components
Flammable liquids or gases – to prevent static charge from causing fires and explosions
Optics and photonics – to prevent static charge from causing build up of dust and other particulates onto lenses and sensitive instruments
RapidMade manufactures a wide range of ESD materials via 3D printing, thermoforming and machining. We know how difficult it can be to find an affordable ESD material for your application manufactured to your specifications. Using one of these technologies we can quickly, easily and affordably make parts that suit any design and timeline, in small or large batches.
3D Printing with ESD Plastics
3D printing is an inexpensive and fast way to produce small components from thousands of units to as little as one. Parts can be shipped on a rush in as little as 2 business days from order and have unlimited complexity.
ESD Nylon 12 – The ultimate production 3D printing material with our best technology. It is fast and cheap with fine detail and a great surface finish. We apply ESD coating on this material that has a 5 year track record of long lasting durability.
ESD ABS – This is an innately ESD rated ABS through the entire part. Filament extrusion is better for short runs of small parts. It is higher accuracy than nylon 12 but has a much slower production speed and a worse surface finish. This can result in high costs and long lead times for large production runs.
Thermoforming with ESD Plastics
Thermoforming is forming sheet plastics over a mold and then CNC trimming it into your final net shape. Thermoforming is great for medium to large production runs of larger parts like trays and electronics housings.
Royalite R63 – A medium gauge plastic (0.047” and 0.093”) with excellent mechanical properties and flame rating (UL 94-V0.) Since many electronics and transportation applications also require UL certification this material is a top choice for manufacturers.
Polycarbonate C300 – An ultra thin gauge (0.010”, 0.020” and 0.030”) clear plastic. Polycarbonate is incredibly smooth and stiff as well. The cost per sheet can be quite high for thin gauge sheets, unfortunately.
ABS, PETG + more – Much like our 3D printed nylon 12, RapidMade can ESD coat a wide variety of other plastics on a made to order basis. This is the only way to provide thicker gauges (0.125”+) but is also typically the most flexible and lowest cost option for most customers.
Machining with ESD Materials
Machining is milling or turning parts from billet or stock material into a desired net shape. Machining is best for high accuracy and repeatability with medium to large runs of parts. It also offers a very wide range of available materials.
Metals – RapidMade is very experienced working with aluminum, stainless steel and other metals. All metals are electrically conductive and will satisfy your ESD requirements.
Plastics – Because of the material versatility of milling we can likely work with almost any ESD rated plastic of your choice, as long as it is machinable and available in stock. There are many filled materials available with ESD properties to choose from. We invite you to start the conversation with us. We can also ESD coat standard machining plastics like ABS or Acetal.
ESD Materials
Like all of our services, our ESD material 3D printing, thermoforming, and machining are backed by our team of expert engineers.
Start your ESD safe material project today by filling out our easy Classic Quote form. Our engineers will review your design and get back to you in 24 hours or less with a quote and free project analysis. Or, you can reach out to us directly at (503) 943-2781 or info@rapidmade.com.