Overshield™ can simplify design and reduce cost

Considering the higher and higher speeds employed in electronic systems, designers need to utilize every available tool in dealing with compliance issues in the battle against EMI. There are numerous avenues to follow in order to put a compliant product on the market competitively. Often overlooked in the effort is the application of conductive overlays. Oftentimes, this avenue generates both a technical solution as well as an aesthetic solution. Rather to employ this method as a band-aid at the end of the design cycle, it can be cost effectively evaluated as a long term addition to the reduction of electronic noise.

The application of a Lustre-Cal Overshield™ can be a cost effective method of initiating a ground between a chassis’s input/output cut-outs and plugs or connectors. By adding a conductive aluminum substrate to the polyester or polycarbonate overlay, we add new capabilities to the aesthetic and instructional function. The Overshield now becomes a multifunctional tool to provide a grounding mechanism for plugs and connectors. By clearing the polyester or polycarbonate around the input/output cut-outs, the conductive aluminum surface now comes directly in contact with the plugs and connectors. This greatly reduces the noise potential around those plugs and connectors. The alternative to this point was the application of beryllium copper gaskets around the cut-outs. These gaskets are expensive and have significant lead time constraints. By utilizing a Lustre-Cal Overshield, you can also deal with compliance information, port labeling, and aesthetics in a single, cost effective application.

Another application for the Lustre-Cal Overshield is to become a masking agent for unused ports and connector cut-outs. In many electronic enclosures, multiple panels are employed where the only construction difference is the layout of the input and output cut-outs. By designing the panels as a family part with all of the cut-out configurations on a master panel, the Overshield now becomes a mask for unused cut-outs and a significant cost savings can be achieved in the purchase of panels in higher quantities. Changing the configuration of the Overshield is more cost effective than changing both the panel and the Overshield. The application of an Overshield early in the design cycle can significantly reduce costs and time to market.

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