EMI shielding gaskets suited for the rugged outdoors

Like it or not, the world is permeated with man-made electromagnetic interference (EMI).   Power cables and signal lines, high speed electronics, antennae and ground connections have tallied up to produce a noisy can negatively affect the day-to-day performance of the sensitive electronics we depend upon daily.  Now, add to these factors the raw harshness of the elements year-in and year-out.  Salt fog and moisture combined with commonly used enclosure materials such as aluminum and magnesium can make for a challenging combination when coupled with the need for a high performance EMI shielding gasket.  You can see how electronic equipment wears down as fast and furiously as it sometimes does, or, worse yet, it may never make it out of the approval process into production due to test failure for these factors.

It’s almost obvious that the great outdoors can put a damper on high-tech applications.  Vanguard Products Corporation has been working on this challenge for quite some time. Since the 1980’s, we’ve been testing, perfecting, and manufacturing EMI shielding gaskets fitted for rugged terrain and punishing weather, all while providing the highest level shielding performance possible.   Our extensive development efforts have yielded two unique approaches to the challenge of dual function EMI/weather sealing gaskets:  our dual elastomer  ULTRA-VANSHIELD ® gaskets and our newest addition, our dual elastomer MICROBRIDGE® gaskets.  Both of these approaches protect against the wind, rain, and moisture all while providing the highest level of EMI shielding available.


A great deal of thought has gone into the design of the ULTRA-VANSHIELD ® and the MICROBRIDGE®  products.  Each style of shielding gasket features high performance component materials.  The ULTRA-VANSHIELD® product features a continuously extruded,  high-strength silicone rubber core, and a co-extruded highly conductive metal-filled silicone layer which can be paired galvanically to your enclosure material to reduce galvanic action, and manufactured in a configuration that allows for a non-conductive  environmental sealing portion to be oriented outbound to eliminate dust and/or moisture to filter onto the conductive EMI shield or into the electrical components.   The MICROBRIDGE® products take this approach even further by incorporating a secondary weatherseal on the interior of the gasket as well, completely isolating the conductive portion from galvanic accelerants.  Both approaches allow for all this functionality in a cost effective, single piece package.

It’s been a long road from conceptualization to manufacturing these products, but the results speak for themselves with their high performance properties.

Following the Latest Developments in Multi-Gigahertz Gasket Technology

Oftentimes, we see an underlying trend throughout history where industrial technology trickles down from military to civilian use. Just to give you a few modern examples: the biplanes and triplanes of World War One became the first passenger planes of the 20s and 30s. The NAVSTAR military satellites that were launched into Cold War orbit to help guide ICBMs to their targets in the Soviet Union now can help you calculate how much longer you’ll be sitting in traffic on a Los Angeles freeway using GPS. And then of course there’s the Internet, which was invented initially back in the 1960s to allow the American government and military a means of post-apocalyptic communication that wouldn’t be destroyed by nuclear attack.  And today what do we use the Net for? Well… uh, to look up the next pair of socks we’re going to buy? 

Civilian technology has come a long way since the days of the Red Baron. 

It’s pretty much the same trickle-down effect with the EMI shielding gasket. The EMI shielding gasket was originally widely used by the military to harden their electronics packages against enemy monitoring and jamming, and to prevent their own equipment from interfering with each other.  Many of the military applications delved into the very-high (above 20 GHz) frequencies. In the meantime, “civilian” applications for these gaskets have been required to perform in the  1.5 – 2 GHz range.   But with the rapidly developing complexity of high-frequency electronics for manufacturing, communications, and information systems, all that has changed quickly.

With the continuing refinement of our dual-elastomer Ultra-Vanshield EMI gaskets, with a thin outer conducive silver membrane that covers a pure, soft elastomer core, the multi-gigahertz revolution continues.  Because of the stellar mechanical performance of this technology coupled with the high level of conductivity, these gaskets have unmatched shielding performance in these very high frequency applications.  Expect nothing less from Vanguard.  We wouldn’t be at the forefront of gasket technology if we weren’t investigating the new and evermore complex avenues for building tomorrow’s shielding gaskets.

Silicone Door and Window Seals Keep Homes Warm and Cozy

Now that we are moving toward the chilly winter season, it is important to keep our homes well-guarded against wind, moisture, and colder air. Door and window seals have long been used to protect one’s house against severe weather conditions, and traditionally, these types of seals are made out of vinyl or PVC. However, due to its strong high- and low-temperature resistance and durability, silicone is increasingly being used for door and window seal applications.

Silicone works well in freezing, sub-zero environments, and remains rubbery even in temperatures as low as -70° Celsius. Therefore, even in the most extreme cold, silicone seals will maintain their suppleness and never crack or disintegrate. And, unlike PVC, silicone doesn’t shrink or age in ultraviolet light, maintaining its form in every weather condition.

Due to its resistance to oxidation, UV-exposure, and ozone, silicone has become a leading candidate for many outdoor functions, and will help keep your home warm and cozy during the wintery season. Vanguard Products offers a full spectrum of extruded rubbery gaskets, seals, and hoses that can be customized for a wide variety of applications. Contact our company today for more information about the benefits of using silicone door and window seals.

ASME Expo 2011 Explores New Energy Resources to Address Global Challenges

The American Society of Engineers (ASME) will be hosting their annual International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition in Denver, Colorado from November 11-17th. This premier global conference focuses on exploring new solutions for global challenges, and brings together engineers, scientists, and technologists of all disciplines to discuss important research topics and breakthrough innovations that are shaping the future of engineering.

The keynote topic for this year’s exposition is Energy and Water: Two Vital Commodities.  A panel of industry experts will explore the energy-water nexus, discussing how these fundamental commodities share a crucial interdependence. Other technical program tracks include, but are not limited to:

•    Dynamic systems and control
•    Fluids and thermal systems
•    Advances in aerospace technology
•    Heat and mass transport processes
•    Energy systems analysis, thermodynamics, and sustainability

The conference will also include a hands-on innovation workshop for both K-12 teachers and engineers, and will additionally feature a student design competition, where engineering pupils will submit their proof-of-concept prototypes for rain energy conversion. For more information about the ASME conference, check here.