Sealing and Shielding

Sealing can often be a frustrating challenge when dealing with flow batteries. Determining what materials are compatible with certain chemistries or developing a profile that provides optimal sealing under available compression can be a time-consuming task for those outside the sealing industry. A trial and error approach can have a significant overall cost impact through multiple prototype iterations, prolonged testing, and ultimately, delaying product commercialization. 

Parker’s design and material engineers can provide support to your team in the critical, early stages of product development. With hundreds of engineered elastomeric materials to choose from, our team can identify and recommend a compound that works with your specific electrolytes or other fluids. With the exceptionally long lifetime requirements of flow batteries, our homogeneous rubber provides the elasticity needed to handle the many charge-discharge cycles the battery will see in its life.

Our engineers can significantly reduce design time by utilizing finite element analysis early in the process. FEA is a sophisticated computer modeling program that demonstrates a visual simulation of how materials for a proposed seal design might perform in the application.  Material performance over a range of conditions is tested to see if the product will perform as expected. FEA can be repeated as many times as needed to fine-tune the design and make the final product as robust, functional, and reliable as possible. This process can be performed before prototyping, mold design or production is undertaken, greatly reducing the possibility of errors or redesign issues occurring later.

With continuous advancements materializing in the energy storage market, we fully understand the urgency of moving a product from development to commercialization. Parker can provide your team with resources to improve both the quality and speed of seal design in the critical prototyping stage, reducing overall cost.

After commercialization, Parker’s O-Ring & Engineered Seals Division can support your high volume production utilizing one of our 14 manufacturing locations dedicated to molding and extruding elastomeric products. To ensure the highest levels of material quality, state-of-the-art laboratories and testing equipment are housed in our two North American technology centers.

For more information, visit Parker O-Ring & Engineered Seals Division online and chat with our experienced applications engineers.

This article was contributed by Wesley Burcham, market manager, Parker O-Ring & Engineered Seals Division.

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Every fall just outside of Detroit, MI, thousands of electric and hybrid vehicle industry insiders descend onto the Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo in Novi, MI. Delivering the largest exhibition of electric vehicle and related industry suppliers in the nation, the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Tech Expo offers a range of informative presentations, interactive events, and fun activities to help drive your projects to the next level.

Whether you're looking for electrical power-trains and components, battery management systems, thermal cooling materials or EMI shielding solutions, you’ll find it at all #EVT.

And this year didn’t disappoint – Parker Chomerics, in its second year of exhibiting, prominently featured a prototype urethane-based, 3.0 W/m-K dispensed thermal interface material (TIM) designed for high volume, EV battery applications requiring reliable thermal cooling performance. With an in-booth dispensing machine provided by PVA, show attendees were introduced to a different technology alternative than silicone dispensed TIMs.

Also, featured at the Parker Chomerics booth was an electric vehicle battery simulation, portraying what the compressed urethane TIM might look like in application against the battery cells and the cooling plate of the battery container. Depending on the manufacturer and design, some battery cells are arranged into a container which could be the size of a queen mattress, so proper wet out and adherence is critical to proper thermal cooling.

Parker Chomerics was also a featured speaker during the Thermal Management: Materials, Packaging & Performance track on Thursday, September 13th. Matthew Finley, global marketing manager of Parker Chomerics, took the viewing audience through an expert presentation focused on the differences between silicone and urethane dispensed thermal interface materials for EV applications.

Other technologies featured at this year's show included a variety of fluid seals, Press-In-Place (PIP) seals, o-rings, and molded shapes. Parker's innovative solutions for gearing and power transfer, battery life and electric motors can withstand a variety of environments, fluids, pressures, and temperatures. Sealing solutions for batteries require low compression set, temperature resistance, fire resistance, media resistance, low closure force and must be adaptable to a wide range of geometries.

Our team members were proud to represent Parker Chomerics at EVT18 and garner the opportunity to network with other professionals, engage with current partners, and nurture relations with future partners. We hope to see you again next year! 

This blog was contributed by Jarrod Cohen, marketing communications manager, Parker Chomerics Division.

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Can electrically conductive plastics really replace traditional metal electronics enclosures? The answer is a resounding yes! There are very effective electrically conductive plastics available today that provide excellent electromechanical properties that help shield portable electronics from the electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise that is proliferating our daily life. Smart phones, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, radio, even your television are all susceptible to EMI. So here are the key points you may want to consider when evaluating electrically conductive plastics for your application:

Every day we encounter EMI, and sometimes it happens at the most inopportune time. Maybe you’ve been put on hold for an hour and just when the customer service agent gets back to you, your cell phone drops the signal. Or perhaps you’re blasting the car radio listening to your favorite song, and just when the chorus comes on, static noise drowns out the tunes as you drive under high tension power lines. These are all examples of EMI interfering with our daily life, and electrically conductive plastics can help shield our portable devices from these interruptions.

When it comes to small portable electronics such as smart phones and other wireless devices, there is typically no more cost effective way to produce them than using injected molded conductive plastics. Metal housings often require additional rework after tooling, such as bending and threading, that injection molded plastics do not need.

Nowadays, smart phones and other small portable electronics such as life science devices are routine. Electrically conductive plastics allow these devices to remain lightweight and compact, all while providing critical EMI shielding performance to not interfere with the device’s performance.

Electrically conductive plastics can typically withstand everyday wear and tear better than many metal enclosures and metal PCB components. In a lab, conductive plastics can pass drop test after drop test with flying colors, which is not so easy to do with heavy metal enclosures.

Even if a conductive plastic housing gets dinged up, scuffs and scratches do not lead to corrosion susceptibility. Most conductive plastics can resist corrosion in harsh environments much better than metal can.

Conductive plastics are very effective given the correct applications. Given the shrinking nature of electronics devices, often you will save money going with conductive plastic over traditional metal because conductive plastics typically do not need additional machining such as adding threads, bending, etc. Given the right application, conductive plastics can be cost effective for smaller portable devices.

Be sure to work with a material provider that has extensive knowledge in the above areas and can support you on your design.

Discover the Parker Chomerics family of PREMIERTM Conductive Plastics for electronics enclosures today.

This blog was contributed by Jarrod Cohen, marketing communications manager, Parker Chomerics Division.

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Standard AS568 O-ring sizes are well known in the seal industry. Generally adding the compound with a standard O-ring size creates a smart part number for identification and purchasing purposes. But how do we come up with part numbers for seals that are different geometries, hollow profiles, or non-standard sizes? The Applications Engineering team wrestles with questions like these on a daily basis. There are generally three options for a custom sized part: precision cut, cord stock, and extruded and spliced parts.

Parker refers to our extruded and cut part product line as a Precision Cut. These parts are manufactured by pushing an elastomer material through a die to give it a specified inside diameter and wall thickness. The part would then be “cut” to a specified width (we call this the “cut thickness”). These parts have a square cross section, and are highly customizable with minimal capital costs. Parker specializes in custom precision cut lengths, and it is worth noting that TetraSeal® parts fall into this product category as well. If the ID and CS correspond to a standard AS568 size, these are sometimes referred to as a TS-xxx size (however, this will not be the final part number). The official Parker part number for both TetraSeals and custom precision cut parts cannot be determined prior to being quoted.

Another product that we often receive inquiries about is cord stock. This product line is manufactured by extrusion and the parts can have many different geometries. Cord stock is often used when a customer wants to create their own custom sized gaskets – doing a splice on their own. For extruded cord part numbers, Parker uses the below “smart” part numbering method:

Material – Profile – Packaging Method** – Material

Example:  A spool of 500 feet of S7442 in the A002 profile would have the Parker part number S7442 A002 S S7442.  The quantity would be 500.

With extruded/spliced parts, there is an additional step – splicing.  When given “developed length” which is the total length of the part along its centerline, the part is cut to that length and then undergoes a hot vulcanization process using the same base polymer, creating a continuous part. This can be done for both hollow profiles and solid profiles. For extruded and spliced parts, the below “smart” part numbering method can be used:

Material – Profile – Packaging Method** – Developed Length (centerline length*, where xxx.xx corresponds to the length in inches)

Example: A 37” inside diameter x 0.139” cross section part, made from E7736-70 would have Parker part number E7736 A018 D 11668

*The centerline length is calculated by taking the desired ID (37”) and adding 1 cross section width to it and multiplying by Pi.  (37” + 0.139”) * pi = 116.68”
** The different “packaging methods” are:
S: Spooled footage – This is a type of bulk packaging and the cord will come on a spool.
C: Coiled – This is another type of bulk packaging, and the cord will come coiled in a bag or box.
D: Developed Length (Spliced) – This type of package method is for spliced parts.  The finished parts will be coiled in a bag or box.

For more information on TetraSeals or other custom sealing solutions, visit Parker O-Ring & Engineered Seals Division and chat with an engineer today!

This article was contributed by William Pomeroy, applications engineer, Parker O-Ring & Engineered Seals Division. 

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EMI (electromagnetic interference) is the disruption of the operation of an electronic device when it is near an electromagnetic field in the radio frequency spectrum that is caused by another electronic device. When used with a conductive EMI gasket, conductive foil tapes with a polyester paint masking provides a conductive, non-corroding surface on painted metal electronic enclosures that forms and effective EMI shielding solution.

But sometimes, applying conductive EMI foil masking tapes can be tricky and quite the hassle. Luckily, we’ve come up with five easy steps to make applying conductive tape easy and worry-free.

To ensure maximum adhesion of your conductive foil tape with peel-off mask, remove all surface oils and dust. In large volume applications, proceed through your normal automated cabinet cleaning procedures. In small volume applications, clean cabinet flanges thoroughly with a cloth dampened with an industrial cleaner (acetone, toluene, or isopropyl alcohol).

Be sure to wear rubber gloves, because some cleaning agents tend to be nasty chemicals, and you do not want them to get on your skin. It is important to avoid contact with or handling of the adhesive on the back of the tape. Oils from the hand will affect adhesion. If oxidation or rust is present, abrade surface with sandpaper to expose clean metal before cleaning.

Still wearing your rubber gloves, peel away the release liner of the conductive tape and apply the tape to cabinet flanges, being careful to avoid wrinkles. Extend the tape beyond the corners and cut away excess. This prevents residual stress in the foil from lifting tape at ends. Run your finger along the mask to provide initial adhesion.

The excess tape in each corner should now be trimmed, and it is not necessary to overlap the tape in the corners. It is recommended that a gap be left between the vertical and horizontal strips. The gap should measure about .080 in. (2.0 mm) wide (which is equivalent to the recessed edge of the tape). Later, when paint is applied to the cabinet, this gap will be filled and serve to edge seal the tape ends.

Then, using a precise cutting tool, cut about a .080 in. (2.0 mm) piece of the mask layer on each strip and remove. This will further ensure edge sealing when the cabinet is painted.

Smooth over the surface of the conductive foil tape with a small rubber roller. Touch down the exposed tinned copper edges until they are flat and even. Note: Only moderate pressure is required (about 5 psi).

Now your cabinet is ready for normal phosphatizing and painting. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for paint application and curing. Note: Recommended paint thickness, including primer, is 4 mils (0.1 mm) or more.

When the cabinet has reached room temperature, remove the mask of the conductive foil tape at a 180° angle from the foil tape leaving a clean, conductive grounding surface. The mask is easily removed at room temperature, with or without baking.

Looking for the perfect conductive foil tape with a peel-off mask? Check out Parker Chomerics CHO-MASK® II EMI Foil Tape now. CHO-MASK II tape provides
effective shielding performance and grounding points within the painted enclosure, and can accommodate a wide range of enclosure finishing processes, including powder coating.

This blog was contributed by Jarrod Cohen, marketing communications manager, Parker Chomerics Division.

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Chomerics Division Honored with Boeing Award 

We’re thrilled to announce the Chomerics Division of Parker Hannifin Corporation, the global leader in motion and control technologies, has received the prestigious Q1 certification from Ford Motor Company for its Fairport, NY location.

This Q1 certification is internationally recognized as an indication that Parker Chomerics has attained excellence in quality performance, capable systems, warranty performance, and delivery performance. We are elated to display the Q1 designation with honor, as it is only given to Ford suppliers who can meet very stringent standards.

“I am proud of everyone at Fairport and their contributions to make this happen, outstanding job everyone,” said John Beswick, global business unit manager, Chomerics Division.

Specifically, Q1 award recognizes Chomerics Division for its ability to provide superior product quality, ensure high reliability, with exceptional materials and dependable supply chain management on an on-going basis.

“Congratulations to the Fairport team,” said Dave Hill, global general manager for Chomerics Division, “It’s a great reflection in Ford’s confidence in our operation. What a great accomplishment!”

Parker Chomerics Engineered Plastic Solutions business unit in Fairport, NY, located 10 miles outside of Rochester, NY, heavily utilizes robotics and automation to achieve high quality and delivery standards across many industries.

For more information on Chomerics products, visit our website or download our Engineered Custom Injection Molded Plastics Solutions brochure. 

This blog was contributed by Jarrod Cohen, marketing communications manager, Parker Chomerics Division.

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