What are Antistatic bags?
An antistatic bag is a shipping bag for devices (usually electronic) which can be damaged by electrostatic discharge. These bags are usually plastic and have a distinctive color (silvery for metalized PET film and other similar plastics, pink or black for polyethylene). The polyethylene variant may also take the form of foam or Bubble Wrap, either as sheets or bags. Because of the need for protection against mechanical damage as well as electrostatic damage, layers of protection are often used; because of this, you might find:
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Types of Antistatic bags
Anti-Static Bubble Bags or Bubble pouchesProvides maximum protection against static discharge for circuit boards, relays, switches, resistors, controls and other static sensitive electronic components - Apply your own labels. 3/16" Industrial bubble coated with a nylon barrier provides outstanding cushioning. 1" pressure sensitive lip covered with release paper allows for easy closing. |
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Flat Anti-Static Poly BagsProtect electronic components from static build-up. Constructed from pink anti-static polyethylene film. Keeps products clean and moisture free. |
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Anti-Static Poly TubingMake your own anti-static poly bags. Excellent resistance to static discharge. Static dissipative, non-corrosive pink polyethylene is heat sealable. Seal with Poly Tubing Sealers. |
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Gripseal/Zipper Antistatic bagsAs good as the flat antistatic bag plus the security and convenience of a gripsealp top. The zipper top closes securely to protect against damage from dust and moisture. |
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Types of ESD Bags
There are essentially three types or categories of ESD Bags: antistatic bags, dissipative bags and metallized bags. The last two categories are typically the high-end of ESD bag product offerings and tend to have three combined properties of protection, (1) antistatic, (2) dissipative and (3) shielding.
- Antistatic Bags
Antistatic bags are normaly coated with a antistat agent that minimizes the generation of a static imbalance from triboelectric generation or contact and separation. Some antistatic bags are made with an antistat built into the films layers and tend to be more reliable and cleaner then the topically treated ones. A good antistatic bag will have antistatic properties on both the inside and outside of the bag�s film construction. - Dissipative Bags
Dissipative Bags with the films surface resistance in the dissipative range are preferred because charge dissipates across the surface at a controlled rate. Most dissipative bags also have the property of being antistatic. These are good general bags to be used in non-critical environments. - Metallized Shielding Bags
Metallized shielding bags have either a metal film embedded into the bag film construction or coated onto an existing layer. Depending on the energy and duration of the discharge and the thickness of the metal film, an ESD event is typically spread out over the outer surface of the metal film and if fully enclosed then the charges current from the ESD event is contained to the outsideof the metal film protecting the contents within the bag. Known as the Faraday Cage Effect and is commonly used in controlling ESD via metallized shielding bags and conductive bags.
Polythene packaging direcory
As featured on PlasticBags.uk.com
Affiliates
Because we mentioned antistatic grip seal bags and antistatic bubble bags we thought these websites to be useful for more information about each of the bags.
Please visit www.resealable-bags.co.uk for grip seal bags.
Please visit www.bubblebags2u.co.uk for bubble bags.