Anti Static Rigid Plastic

[Bryan Jater]

Hi Folks,

Has anybody ever come across a semi rigid plastic with anti static properties? The product needs to be around 1.5mm thick.

I have spoken to my current suppliers and everything they have is less than 0.1mm thick which is no good to the customer. Fiber or CO2 laser to mark it is great.

Fingers crossed somebody somewhere has been asked the question before.

Cheers

Bryan

[Scott Shepherd]

Bryan, what's the application requirement? There are acrylics with anti-static coatings on them, but if just having the coating on it isn't acceptable, then it would have to be something else. Does it need to be clear? Solid color? What's the use (you don't have to be super specific if it's a problem disclosing too much information).

[Dan Hintz]

Plastic is, by its very nature, an insulator... and therefore has poor anti-static properties. the only way around that would be an anti-static coating or conductive fillers in the plastic. Choose your poison...

[Bryan Jater]

Hi Scott,

The application is for labelling, I have given the customer specifications of the Rowmark and Trotec Laserable materials but these are no good. I sourced some laserable label material from Polychromal which had the right spec but this was too thin. To be honest, colour etc is much less important than it being anti static as the labels will be in an environment where any electrical charge could cause an explosion. I don't know any more about the application than that though.

[Doug Griffith]

Here's a link with some info:
http://www.boedeker.com/esdmatls.htm

[Mike Null]

Rowmark can provide an anti-static modifier with their ABS materials but it requires a minimum order of 300 full sheets.

[Mike Null]

You should check a brand called Norplex which I believe is available in the UK. It is a phenolic micarta product and may well have the anti-static qualities you're looking for. It is typically 3 ply; laser engravable but can't be cut with a laser. It is usually engraved and cut with a rotary device. It is available in 1/16".

This product is available in the US from Johnson Plastics in single sheets. Be aware that it is somewhat brittle when compared to engraver's plastic.

[Tony Lenkic]

The material Mike is talking about is known in UK as Traffolyte.

[Michael Hunter]

Hi Bryan

If the labels are for the petrochemical industry then any plastic is a nightmare - even if you find something suitable you need to nail down the specification with the manufacturer and get certificates of conformity for every sheet!

Much simpler to get stainless steel or anodised aluminium blanks made up and engrave those.

Another possibility if particular colours are needed is laserlights applied to a metal backing (off site).
(Laserlights seems to be regarded as particularly thick paint and is therefore grudgingly accepted).

[Bryan Jater]

Thanks peeps, appreciate the help

[Keith Colson]

Mirror acrylic is conductive and therefore antistatic in nature. You can get in in 1.5mm like you require. You can ground it using a star washer and a resistor if you wish to be precise.

Cheers
Keith