Static electricity is the enemy of electronics, including computer parts, medical devices, military equipment, robotics components, and more.
Whenever there is rubbing, sliding, or movement of materials, like the friction that can occur during shipping and handling of sensitive components, there is a risk for electrical charge buildup that can discharge and damage electrical devices. This electrostatic discharge (ESD) releases currents through an object, traveling through the object until it reaches ground.
Think of it like a tiny bolt of lightning passing through an object. If the object happens to be your expensive microchip, medical device or other electronic part, the flow of the electric current can erase data, alter magnetic media, burn holes through circuits, and even cause fires and explosions.
But ESD damage need not be obvious. Your products can suffer irreparable damage without you ever noticing a single spark.
Needless to say, electrostatic damage to components is almost certainly permanent – and can even be harmful to humans handling the products. In fact, humans are one of the leading causes of electrostatic discharge. The human body stores electrostatic currents that can be released into components when they are handled.
That’s why special ESD packaging is so crucial for the protection of static sensitive parts and other sensitive, and often high-value components.
Find out more about how our ESD packaging can help protect your static sensitive products during shipping, storage and handling.
About Our ESD Packaging
Our ESD boxes are designed to control electrostatic discharge, substantially reducing charge generation and protecting parts from damage. Our full catalog has over 100 stock sizes, with options to customize them to suit your needs perfectly.
Depending on your packaging needs, we offer both conductive boxes and static dissipative boxes. Choose from black conductive plastic, or transparent amine-free static dissipative (AFSD) acrylic boxes that give you visual access to the product inside.
We also offer packaging in a tutone option – clear lids with a solid color base.
Your choice will depend on your product needs and the resistivity you desire.
Conductive boxes are designed to conduct electrical charges away from the contents inside, and prevent damaging buildup of charge. Think of it as a lightning rod for your product. Our black conductive packaging has a surface resistivity < 105 Ω/sq.
Static dissipative boxes, on the other hand, are designed to control the flow of electricity, reducing the strength of the electric charge. Our amine-free static dissipative packaging has a surface resistivity >105 and <1012 Ω/sq.
Whichever you choose, our ESD boxes share a key feature – a high level of surface resistivity that protects your product during shipping and storage, while providing the same level of superior physical protection that you can expect from all of our rigid packaging.
Protect Sensitive & High-Value Products
Our ESD boxes are ideal for tools, fiber optics, electronic components, memory chips, motherboards, hard drives, semiconductors, laser diodes, high precision resistors, circuit breakers, cabling and much more.
These affordable protective boxes are valued in the aerospace industry for their highly reliable qualities. They are also used often in military, technology, robotics, and medical industries to protect high-value products from irreparable damage to components that would be substantially costly to replace.
Custom Foam Inserts
For added protection and security, our boxes can be customized with your choice of foam inserts.
We offer four varieties of foam inserts, including a highly cost-effective pink anti-static polyethylene foam that is manufactured with an additive that creates an anti-static layer that both dissipates electronic charges and repels dust. It is notable for its long lifespan, uniform thickness, and durability.
The remaining three varieties of foam are a black conductive foam that has been soaked in carbon, available in high, medium or low density options.
Our low density black conductive foam is manufactured from polyurethane. It is non-corrosive, retains its antistatic properties in humid conditions, and has an indefinite lifespan.
Both our medium density and high density black conductive foams are made using nitrogen gas, rendering them C.F.C. free and H.C.F.C. free. Their purity and anti-sloughing characteristics have earned them a leading position in the electronics industry. Both are non-corrosive and engineered specifically for use in electronics industries.
Finally, our high-density cross-linked polyethylene foam is ideal for pinning products in place, where some of our softer foams are excellent choices for padding.
Foams are available in 1/8″, 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ thickness, and can be die-cut to your specifications.
For packaging smaller products such as microchips, they can be easily fitted with your own custom trays or slides for added protection.
Custom & ESD Imprints
Like all of our boxes, ESD boxes can be custom imprinted with a company name, logo, artwork, or message of your choosing. Include the ESD imprint for an accessible and visual cue when products are being handled and transported.
For imprinting you can choose from hot stamp, pad print, silk screen and digital decorating, with a choice of 15 standard foil colors, including metallic gold and silver, and a choice of over 20 standard ink colors.
Gary Plastic Packaging has been servicing the packaging needs of its customers for over 50 years, helping to ship, store, display and protect products. If you have a static-sensitive product to package, or have questions about which option can suit your needs, contact us to speak with a product specialist. We’re available to work with you to find the right packaging solution.