The risks inherent to the accumulation of electrostatic charges have long been known and are subject to strict regulations, such as the ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU.
If the effects of an electrical discharge of several thousand volts are dangerous to persons and equipment, they may have devastating consequences in industry, especially in the case of electrical and electronic equipment.
To prevent the formation of high local electric voltages, all parts of the structure to be protected must be properly grounded. This delicate step is a challenge for polymeric materials, since the electrical resistivity of plastics prevents static discharges from ground leakage, thus contributing to the formation of localized electric potentials.
The compounds of the LATIOHM family of LATI S.p.A., are proposed as a definitive solution to these difficulties due to their formulation using electrically conductive additives able to lower the surface and volume electrical resistivity of the product well below the limits set by the ATEX directive.
This is the reason why the Plastijet company decided to use LATIOHM 62-03 PD01 G/20 for the manufacture of a series of leveling feet for industrial machinery.
The selected compound is a PA6 made electrically conductive by means of carbon fiber, and at the same time it is glass fiber-reinforced.
The feet have not only to ensure the equipment grounding, but also to provide the mechanical strength required to withstand over time the continuously applied static load consisting of the machine weight, without incurring creep phenomena and consequent stability loss.
Besides electrical properties, excellent mechanical performance protects the machinery from all stresses typical of these applications, especially fatigue and vibrations, not to mention excellent appearance, which is now an indispensable factor in even the most technical parts.
The LATIOHM range includes electroconductive compounds also made of high thermal performance resins meeting all requirements in terms of safety and design.