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Why Polyethylene Foam is an Excellent Solution for Packaging Electronics

June 11, 2014

Most manufacturers are familiar with the difficulties of shipping delicate electronics through the postal service. These parts have to remain dry, and are often highly breakable. Even a tiny mistake can leave them as unusable and cost the company a great deal of money. With all of these complications to deal with manufacturers have to be very selective about what they ship their electronics in, that’s precisely why many of them rely on polyethylene foam.

Thinly Rolled Material

This closed-cell foam can be rolled out in very thin layers making it easy to create bags or pouches for use in shipping. One of the fastest ways to protect an electronic component is to slip it into a protective pouch, and that’s why businesses prefer this product for their shipping needs.

Anti-Static Properties

One of the main reasons manufacturers and retailers turn to polyethylene foam to ship electronics is its anti-static properties. There is no quicker way to destroy an electronic component than subjecting it to a static charge, and this foam will help prevent that from happening. Even a thin sheet of polyethylene foam will ward off any stray charges and protect the part from short circuiting.

Resistance to Water

It’s a common misconception that damp components aren’t a big deal as long as they are dried entirely before use. In all actuality a small amount of water can cause serious problems on electrical equipment even if it is dried off. This is because water isn’t pure, and carries minerals and other contaminants that can cause failures later on. Fortunately Polyethylene foam is also water-resistant because of its closed-cell design. While it probably won’t protect components that have been dropped in the local river, it will keep light moisture off of them over short to medium distance trips.