Laird Technologies Launches Beryllium-Free EMI Shielding Material For Slotted Applications

摘要

Laird Technologies has introduced its Recyclable Clean Copper products, a new range of environmentally friendly, copper-based shielding gaskets that offer a beryllium-free EMI solution for use in a wide range of slotted applications. Laird's introduction comes at a time when many companies are looking to be more environmentally friendly, while still achieving the same performance in their products. In the past shielding technology was often over engineered, causing unnecessary high prices. Now that companies have grasp on the amount of shielding effectiveness needed, they can focus on other attributes such as price and availability. Laird Technologies continues to consider customers needs as copper prices fluctuate. Currently, Recyclable Clean Copper alloys cost about 10 percent less than copper beryllium (CuBe) alloys. Additionally, Recyclable Clean Copper contains 13 percent less copper by volume and is therefore less affected by increasing variations in copper prices than similar products that contain CuBe, which is beneficial as copper prices has nearly doubled in the last year alone. Beryllium has come under scrutiny of late, and is currently on many government and industry watch lists as a possible banned or restricted material for electronics. Pete Graustein, the global products director at Laird estimates that beryllium could be banned in less than five years as it is only a matter of time before many materials on these watch lists fall out of favor with federal governments. Additionally, beryllium is notoriously hard to recycle and currently has to be labeled, managed and disposed of in accordance to EPA, national and local regulations.