Small Enclosures Stand Up To Harsh Conditions

Extreme environments are no match for the Grip-Tech family of ergonomic handheld enclosures. The NEMA 4, fire-grade, polycarbonate parts come standard in black or white. They also have interchangeable, tactile thermoplastic-elastomer (TPE) rubber side grips that are available in eight standard colors or in a custom color.

Molded with polycarbonate material, the Grip-Tech family will withstand extreme impact even at cold temperatures. The fire-retardant UL 94 V2-rated material will self extinguish after 30 s, making the enclosure useful for high-voltage applications. The NEMA 4 one-piece molded sealing gasket comes standard and protects against water.

Six stainless-steel screws seated in brass inserts eliminate traditional plastic boss striping, so the enclosure can be taken apart countless times if required. Snap-in battery holders accommodate two AA, four AA, one 9-V, two 9-V, or no battery configurations. The sealed screw-on battery door keeps water out. All styles are available with industry-standard LCD windows. They also have a recessed top that suits use with a membrane keypad or label.

Box Enclosures Inc.
www.boxenclosures.com

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NEWS IN BRIEF: MATERIALS The aluminum-silicon-carbide (AlSiC) metal matrix composite from CPS Corp. produces reliable low-cost lids, or heat spreaders, for the flip-chip IC packaging and optoelectronics market. Unlike traditional packaging materials, AlSiC's isotropic coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) value can be adjusted for specific applications by modifying the Al-metal/SiC-particulate ratio. These CTE matching capabilities eliminate the need for thermal interface stacking, increasing reliability in the field. Coupled with its CTE matching, AlSiC's high thermal conductivity prevents the bowing and flexing of packaging and substrate material that can lead to failure. Visit www.alsic.com for more information.

Multi-Seals Inc. offers a free engineering sample kit of its Uni-form epoxy preforms. The kit includes a variety of epoxy preform configurations along with an information pack. Epoxy preforms are an alternative to liquid epoxy for high-volume, high-quality epoxy sealing applications, and they're made of resins that are solid at room temperature. When heated, they melt and cure, forming a consistent seal that protects components from dust, moisture, oil, flux, solvents, conformal coatings, and other contaminants. Uni-forms are available in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and materials to accommodate diverse applications. Learn more at www.multi-seals.com.

Gap Filler 3500S35 is a thermally conductive, liquid gap-filling material from the Bergquist Company that features high thermal performance (3.6 W/m-K) and excellent softness. This two-component gel-like material can be cured either at room or elevated temperature. The material is good for interfacing fragile components to a universal heatsink or housing. Once cured, it's still a low-modulus elastomer that helps relieve CTE stresses during thermal cycling, but it maintains enough modulus to prevent pump-out from the interface. Gap Filler 3500S35 will lightly adhere to surfaces, though it isn't designed to be a structural adhesive. For details, go to www.bergquistcompany.com.

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