subject: Itw Formex Electrical Insulation Design Guide Details Cost-effective Fabrication [print this page] ITW Formex has published the 5th Edition of its engineering design and specification guide that provides practical information to engineers, designers and technical staff specifying electrical insulating materials and flame retardant plastic. The 17-page Design Guide is available at no cost by calling ITW Formex at (630) 889-8655 for a printed version, or by downloading the Guide at www.itwformex.com/guide.
This handbook is based on 25 years experience in providing both FORMEX and STATEX electrical insulating materials for a wide variety of industrial and consumer electronics applications. These materials are flame retardant grades of polypropylene, extruded into sheets and used primarily for their electrical insulation properties. No other flame-retardant electrical insulating materials can match the flexibility and performance of FORMEX and STATEX for cost-effective fabrication of electrical insulator parts. Both materials have successfully and economically replaced a variety of electrical papers, thermoplastics and injected molded parts. STATEX has the additional advantage of being a static electricity dissipation material.
This Design Guide provides general process information and specific design suggestions to help improve the functionality, quality and durability of end products made from FORMEX and STATEX materials. This includes comprehensive step-by-step instructions for shaping FORMEX and STATEX products using:
Die Cutting
Blanks
Scores
Holes
Tabs
Part Processing
EMI/RFI Shielding
Thermoforming
Heavy Gauge Fabrication
Joinery
The die cutting section of the Guide provides details on the types of presses that can be used, and suggestions for the selection of dies. There also are sections on blanking, hole punching, and folding tab formation. For parts created through joinery, there are guidelines for scoring the materials. An extensive set of joinery examples is included. Methods are also described for marking die cut parts for product identification, coding, and safety or technical information. These include hot stamping, silk screening, pad printing, flexographic printing, and embossing.
The Design Guide provides detailed electrical and mechanical property tables for FORMEX, FORMEX GK and STATEX. It also describes a variety of compelling engineering advantages in using these materials in applications that require a flexible, cost-affordable electrical insulator or barrier. These advantages include:
Ability to score and fold to fabricate economical three-dimensional parts, with no cracking or splitting even after repeated folding
High dielectric breakdown strength
UL 94 V-0 flame class; RoHS compliant
Non-hygroscopic; superior chemical resistance
Ability to provide EMI/RFI shielding when used as a substrate with metal lamination
ITW FORMEX and STATEX electrical insulation complies with, CSA, IEC, VDE, TUV, BSR, METI and UL 94V-0 standards. They also meet all major North American, European and Asian flammability and environmental requirements. Samples of these materials can be obtained by visiting www.itwformex.com/sample2.
