Electronics Protection - March/April 2013 - (Page 11)

Feature Ventilation Air-Cleaning Devices for Removal Efficiency by Particle Size. The new method evaluates a material’s ability to capture particulates of different sizes at various flow rates similar to the conditions portable devices encounter. For example, testing two materials — one woven and one non-woven — with similar airflow and acoustic resistance properties indicated that the non-woven material’s capture efficiency rate improved as particulate size increased, with almost twice the efficiency at 8.5 µm, when compared to the woven material’s efficiency. Spray Testing Consumers often use their devices as they are walking through the rain, or they may set the device next to a sink and splash it with water. Therefore, these devices need to be protected against liquid spray. Because the IEC standard does not provide for testing empty housings, Gore has developed a test protocol that consistently categorizes spray-resistant materials. The test assesses both the amount of time required for water to penetrate a specific material and the amount and speed at which water passes through the material during the test. This testing protocol has shown a significant variation in the amount of water that spray-resistant materials allow to enter a housing. For example, when a woven and an open, non-woven material with equivalent acoustic resistance were tested under the same conditions, the woven material allowed 14 ml of water to pass through, whereas the non-woven material allowed only 9 ml of water to pass through. Shallow Immersion Testing Many of today’s portable electronic devices are not intended to be fully immersed into water for long periods. Instead, the consumer may drop the device in a sink of water or a rain puddle. This type of event decreases the length of time in the water but increases the amount of pressure when the device hits the water. The IEC Standard 60529 IPx7 requires full submersion in one meter of water for 30 minutes and does not address contact pressure. No standard to-date addresses the condition of dropping a device into shallow water. Therefore, Gore has developed a test protocol for shallow immersion appropriate for portable electronics. This protocol takes into account the pressure exerted onto the device when it is dropped into water, better simulating the environment typical of portable electronics. Consistency in Testing The goal of testing is to ensure consistent results that indicate reliable performance of the device, which means that test results should be similar every time the device is tested in the same conditions. When test results vary, the development time is increased to determine why the assembled device failed. While adequate for large enclosures, the IEC 60529 showerhead protocol, as specified, can deliver different results on the same device. The construction of the showerhead (e.g., geometry, hole size, hole position and flow rate) and the duration of the test are clearly specified in the standard. However, some of the specifications are quite broad, and they can directly influence test results of devices with openings. The IEC standard does not specify • A location of the device openings in relation to the spray • A fixed distance between the showerhead’s center and the device surface • Movement of the showerhead Please see Gore continued on page 31 We’re Ultra ProUd to PlUg This one. Fast and easy to install, designed to fit a wide range of hole sizes and perfect for all metallic and nonmetallic enclosure materials. UltraPlUg™ enclosUre Hole PlUg From allied moUlded ProdUcts, inc. UltraPlug™ takes the guesswork out of the job. And it fits a wide range of hole sizes so there’s no need for restrictive hole centering spacers. The self-centering, anti-rotational design insures quick and simple one person nut assembly and no-tools required for tightening and maintaining a NEMA 4X enclosure rating. To learn more, visit ultraplug.alliedmoulded.com. © 2013 Allied Moulded Products, Inc. 222 North Union Street Bryan, Ohio 43506 ALLM089 UltraPlug_ElectronicProtection_7.375x4.75.indd 1 March/April 2013 www.ElectronicsProtectionMagazine.com Patent Pending (419) 636.4217 (419) 636.2450 FaX 2/5/13 4:17 PM 11 http://ultraplug.alliedmoulded.com http://ultraplug.alliedmoulded.com http://ultraplug.alliedmoulded.com http://www.ElectronicsProtectionMagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Electronics Protection - March/April 2013

Electronics Protection - March/April 2013
Newer Technology Releases Next-Generation Power2U AC/USB In Wall Charging Solution
Specifiers of Enclosures for Components in Outdoor Applications: Be Aware of Material Selection Issues
How to Protect Electronic Circuits from Power Surges
Testing for Ingress Protection of Portable Electronic Devices
Increasing the Lifespan and Reliability of Electrical Components
From the Inside: The Configurable Plastic Enclosures Revolution
Tips for Selecting and Designing a Membrane Switch
HP Intelligent Series Rack Models Available for Networking and Demanding Server Requirements
Polyonics Antistatic Tapes Solve ESD Problems Before They Damage Static Sensitive Devices
OptoTherm Introduces IR LabMate Infrared Camera Solution
Falcon Electric Offers NEMA 3R/4 Enclosures with SSG UPSs
PEM SpotFast Fasteners Enables Flush Joining of Two Sheets
Industry News
Calendar of Events

Electronics Protection - March/April 2013