As the demand for electronic devices grows, so too does the need for potting and encapsulations to protect the delicate components inside those devices. Lifestyle products like Activities Watches often require a higher level of protection because of the environments they are taken into.
Whilst Silicones, Epoxies, and Polyurethanes remain the core chemistries for Potting Resin, resin manufacturers are constantly developing formulations with different properties to suit different applications.
Whilst most potting and encapsulation applications require (what we would consider) small doses of resin, the size and volume of applications still varies significantly – from encapsulating small dots on a printed circuit board to potting a large cable joint.
The different applications and dose sizes require different dispensing equipment.
Gear Pump dispense technology (typically small gear pumps) can suit larger volume applications like the encapsulation of large battery assembly or potting a large cable connection.
Whilst Progressive Cavity dispensing technology suits smaller and more intricate applications, like encapsulations on printed circuit boards, and small potting applications.
Where higher viscosity (gels and pastes) are dispensed with Progressive Cavity technology, it is important to ensure that the bulk material is being supplied to the Progressive Cavity Dispensers constantly and at the right pressure, because a poor supply of bulk material can lead to air bubbles/voids and phasing/mixing inconsistencies.
Encapsulation applications often require a high level of repeatability and consistency from part to part, so are well suited to automatic application either with a cartesian or a robot.