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Application Xtra
 Ultra-thin fluoropolymer film
- offers conformal electrical insulation
- alternative to injection-molded plastics, coatings
Increasingly
mobile electronics often include a battery, forcing device
manufacturers to search for new materials to provide
electrical insulation and protection between critical device
components and harsh user environments. Welch Fluorocarbon,
which manufactures components from thin high-performance
films, has begun producing parts on their latest generation
of custom thermoforming machines. The new production
facilities process films with gauges less than 0.001-in.
thick.
According to Welch Fluorocarbon’s vice president David
Midgley, “As many of today’s electronic device manufacturers
produce smaller and smaller units, the space available for a
powerful battery is extremely tight. In this environment,
the advantage of thin film battery sleeves over thicker
traditional injection molded plastic sleeves becomes
significant.”
Advanced thermoforming under a vacuum transforms a
2-dimensional film into a complex film battery sleeve, as in
the photo example of a sleeve constructed for a pacemaker
manufacturer.
Electronics OEMs realize similar advantages with thin
polymer films replacing bulkier plastics as vapor barriers
and other applications in consumer and commercial
applications. Thin film insulators offer an alternative to
dielectric coatings which can be prone to pinholes, require
a coatings specialist to apply, and are typically more
costly than a thermoformed thin film liner.
According to Midgley, “Our ultra-thin gauge manufacturing
capabilities are extensions of our industry leading drape
and vacuum thermoforming production processes. The consumer
demand for these technologies ranges from the medical
industry, to telecommunications, aerospace and consumer
products.”
When thermoforming thin gauge materials, maintaining control
of process parameters becomes even more critical in
producing a quality part. Fluoropolymers like FEP, PFA, and
ETFE are thermoplastics that must be processed at extremely
high temperatures. Having a complete understanding of the
thermoforming process and how these films react in the melt
is key to continuously meeting the extreme tolerances
required from today’s leading edge device manufacturers.
Welch Fluorocarbon, Dover, NH
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