Fabric Over Foam Gasket
SOFT-SHIELD® EMI Gaskets bring flexibility to mechanical design considerations for shielding, offering material choices, performance levels, configurations, and attachment methods to suit virtually any environment.
SOFT-SHIELD® 3500
The SOFT-SHIELD® 3500 fabric over foam (FOF) product family is a group of low-closure force EMI/EMC gaskets. SS3500 offers a low cost/low closure force competitive solution for EMI shielding and electrical grounding in shear and compression. The SS3500 product family is comprised of conductive nickel plated copper polyester taffeta fabric wrapped around open cell urethane foam. This wrap around technology grounds the gasket from point to point, ultimately eliminating an EMI/EMC gap. SS3500 typically requires less then 1lb / in (0.175 / mm) closure force, making it effective for low closure force applications. SS3500 takes less than 15% compression set. This is less than most other FOF’s on the market resulting in reliable/repeatable shielding performance. SS3500 is an excellent alternative shielding solution to traditional spring finger type products. The SS3500 product family is one of the most versatile EMI FOF products offered to the market. Depending on mechanical and shielding requirements, the SS3500 can be made with different conductive jackets: • Nickel-plated copper taffeta • Nickel-plated copper rip-stop polyester
SOFT-SHIELD® 4850
SOFT-SHIELD® 4850 represents the latest advancement in EMI shielding gaskets based on Multi-planar, Z-axis conductive foam technology. SOFT-SHIELD 4850 is based on the unique integration of electrically conductive silver-plated fibers into a low density urethane foam providing the basis for a performance driven cost effective EMI shielding solution. Through the optimization of conductive fiber construction, loading and dispersion within the foam matrix, SOFT-SHIELD 4850 provides superb Z-axis conductivity with extremely short ground paths. Since the integrity of the base foam is uncompromised, SOFT-SHIELD 4850 offers exceptional physical and mechanical properties. Offered in bulk roll form or custom die-cut shapes.
SOFT-SHIELD® 4850-STRIP multi-planar, Z-axis conductive strip gaskets are a new, and convenient form of the successful 4850 EMI sheet gasket. These strip gaskets provide EMI shielding in the range of 70-80dB, along with lower closure force, lower compression set and up to 20% lower cost than fabric-over-foam gaskets.
Metalized Fabric Gaskets
Ideal for the control of electromagnetic performance, Orbel's comprehensive line of metalized fabric gaskets is manufactured from a resilient polyurethane foam core and wrapped with a durable high-performance nickel-plated copper-conductive fabric. Orbel offers over 100 standard fabric-over-foam gaskets in a wide variety of shapes and profiles. Custom modifications include cut to length, kiss-cutting, and miter cutting for frame-style gaskets
Orbel Metalized Fabric Gaskets
SOFT-SHIELD® 3700
SOFT-SHIELD® 3700 allows the use of fabric over foam EMI/Grounding gasketing technology to be used in elevated temperature applications where continuous operating temperatures of 125o C or less are required. These cost effective, high performance gaskets with a UL 94-V0 flammability rating, provide EMI shielding solutions for the automotive, military and information technology market applications in higher temperature areas previously not possible with urethane foam based products. SS3700 can be rapid prototyped in many configurations and allows flexibility integrating it into new or current designs. The part will not require expensive tooling, virtually eliminating supply start up costs. The material is highly reliable ensuring years of positive performance. The nickel plated copper polyester rip stop fabric is resistant to oxidation thus delivering years of shielding and electrical grounding. Further, the characteristic low compression set of these foam based gaskets provides more reliable long term shielding, especially in applications where gasketed enclosure flanges are frequently opened and closed. Unlike alternative solutions such as metallic fingers, the material will not break or crack during handling thus improving production floor yields and avoiding the potential for a broken fragment falling onto a PCB. The material delivers shielding/grounding at a low deflection force over a large deflection range allowing for a relaxation of mechanical tolerances. SS3700 can accomodate up to 50% of it’s cross sectional height enabling it to accommodate a wide range of tolerance stack up and still shield. This reduces dimensional constraints and cost on all other components. Since they are offered with a conductive Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA), installation of SOFT-SHIELD 3700 gaskets is made simple and can be delivered in several ways to the factory floor.
SOFT-SHIELD® 1000
High durability, exceptionally soft easy-to-install SOFT-SHIELD® 1000 gaskets are specially designed for EMI shielding commercial electronic enclosures with low closure force requirements, where weather sealing is not a requirement. They are constructed with a distinctive combination of fine knitted wire mesh over a soft urethane foam core. Standard wire types are Monel* or Ferrex**. Standard construction is 0.0035 inch (0.09 mm) diameter wire with a density of 10-15 knit courses per inch of length (CPI).
SOFT-SHIELD® 2000*
SOFT-SHIELD® 2000 gaskets consist of silver-plated nylon yarn knitted over a highly compressible, thermoplastic EPDM foam core. Through a special treatment process, the yarn jacket is secured to the core. This self terminating outer layer eliminates the need for secondary termination efforts and metal particle debris associated with the cut ends of common wire mesh gaskets. SOFT-SHIELD 2000 gaskets are designed specifically for EMI shielding electronic enclosures where weather sealing is not a requirement. The low closure force characteristic of SOFT-SHIELD 2000 gaskets allows enclosures to be designed with fewer fasteners and/or thinner panels.
*Please note SOFT-SHIELD® 2000 will be discontinued as of December 2021. Click here for full announcement
