A Global Company: Schlegel Electronic Materials, Inc., the Inventor of EMI-Shielding FOF Technology, Upholds Organized Innovation Culture, Continues to Lead from the Front

“We meet and exceed the expectations of every customer. This commitment includes our external customers and all stakeholders. We are ISO 9001 and RoHS compliant, ITAR registered, and UL approved.”

Schlegel Electronic Materials, Inc. (SEM) is the pioneer of fabric-over-foam EMI (electromagnetic interference) shielding technology and a leader in manufacturing EMI shielding and thermal management materials that protect sensitive electronics. Schlegel serves customers worldwide (Asia, Europe, and the US).

In addition to the innovative fabric-over-foam (FOF) gaskets, Schlegel’s high-performance products include I/O backplane shielding gaskets, Conductive Elastomers, RF Absorber Materials, and other enclosure gasketing and board-level shielding products. In broad terms, Schlegel manufactures Thermal Materials, EMI Shielding Materials, Polymer and Adhesives Materials, Insulation Materials, Inductive Components, and Bulk Molding Compounds.

All SEM’s OpTIM^® materials meet RoHS standards and UL ratings. Its highest thermal fillers are 14W/mK & 12W/mK., both made with silicone-base materials. Per customer request, Schlegel has added a line of non-silicone-based materials that can reach up to 5W/mK. Additionally, the company’s TIMSorb^® line of Thermal/Absorber materials combines thermal and absorber materials with high thermal conductivity. The OpTIM product range includes phase change, putty, grease, insulators, gap fillers, and foam to meet customers’ needs.

Schlegel Electronic Materials was incorporated in 1987.

The Silicon Review reached out to Schlegel’s New York headquarters and spoke with one of its executives. Here’s what he said.

“We meet or exceed the expectations of every customer. This commitment includes our external customers and all stakeholders. We are ISO 9001 and RoHS compliant, ITAR registered, and UL approved.”

Schlegel has been a trusted source for high-performance custom EMI/thermal solutions worldwide. It invented highly conductive FOF shielding gaskets over three decades ago — a breakthrough for the electromagnetic interference shielding of electronic enclosures. This helped position the company as the pre-eminent manufacturer of EMI shielding products.

“The Schlegel team has decades of experience designing solutions for complex heat, EMI, and compliance-related problems. That’s why Schlegel is trusted worldwide by leading technology brands for customized solutions for heat transference, lower thermal resistance, or reducing the effects of radiated energy.”

From concept to production, Schlegel’s complete portfolio of shielding products combines highly conductive materials with flexible foams and coatings to provide the latest EMI containment solutions. The company’s world-renowned EMI shielding gaskets are available in hundreds of profiles and unique designs, with attachment options that include mechanical self-attaching, clip, rivet, and a variety of pressure-sensitive adhesives.

“We’re dedicated to helping industry leaders achieve first-time quality with our innovative designs. Our design engineers work with manufacturers worldwide to develop custom components to address the most pressing challenges that can hinder the performance of advanced electronics.”

Notably, Schlegel demonstrates its commitment to quality, innovation, and customer service through a) investment in new product development, marketing, production automation, and modern testing equipment, b) the ongoing search for patented solutions to its customers’ ever-changing needs, c) quality service that meets customer and regulatory requirements, d) continuous improvement and prevention of nonconformity, e) empowered employees who take innovative actions to improve performance, and f) orderly change management that maintains excellent service in complex and fast-paced environments.

Breaking New Ground

Schlegel’s products enable the automotive, aerospace, computer, telecommunications, military, medical, and electronics industries to meet global requirements for electromagnetic compatibility. Following are a few case studies the Schlegel team shared (with The Silicon Review).

“While working with a customer and his application, he was looking for a product that could read low and high frequencies simultaneously. Schlegel invented ORSII Products — a combination of our conductive FR foams and high-end conductive fabric. Our high-end nickel-copper C12 fabric cladding, ORSII, offers minimal surface resistance to achieve superior grounding and shielding results at low frequencies. ORSII ensures substantial shielding performance at high frequencies by providing excellent Z-conductivity for shortened current paths.”

“Gaskets used around a field replaceable unit (FRU) such as a blade or a fan tray. The customer places them at the front of the FRU so the gasket only gets compressed at the end of the insertion. That works best for minimizing wear on the gasket and EMI and air sealing.”

“This was the best solution because, in the past, there was some force from folding the gasket that tended to peel the adhesive away. We resolved this issue with the reliefs (which also provided a cleaner wrap around the corner), so the gasket mentioned above is standard practice for some customers. Another challenge they had was determining the length of the gasket that wraps around corners—the gasket needs to be longer than the length you would calculate by just wrapping around the box. Therefore, it is more accurate to use the path roughly at half the gasket thickness.”

Expanding Services Portfolio

Schlegel recently expanded into building and construction materials. Its PolyFab^® products are a premier line of foam, PP, TPE, and dual-extrusion gaskets. From custom windows and doors to office cubicles and other building and product projects, PolyFab sealing products provide consistent quality that is unsurpassed in the industry. All parts shipped from Schlegel EMI are RoHS and REACH compliant.

“Our team has decades of experience designing solutions for complex heat, EMI, and compliance-related problems. That’s why Schlegel is trusted worldwide by leading technology brands for customized solutions for heat transference, lower thermal resistance, or reducing the effects of radiated energy.”