Magnetic Shielding Foil
Electromagnetic waves are emitted by natural and man-made sources that include the sun, car ignition systems, cell phones, thunder storms, and even the northern lights. These waves commonly affect AM/FM radios, cell phones, and televisions. Because these electromagnetic waves can disrupt the function of many electronic devices, some kind of shielding needs to be integrated into the assembly of the device. This is done using a variety of methods depending on the application.
Quick links to Magnetic Shielding Foil Information
Applications of Magnetic Shielding Foil
Magnetic shielding foil is used in sensitive electronic equipment like industrial controls and circuit control boards. Mobile phones usually use a Faraday cage, a shield made of conductive metal that forms a small cage in which the components of the device are encased. Other pieces of equipment use a shield that is made of layers of magnetic alloys that are highly permeable so they absorb the electromagnetic waves instead of transferring them to the device that they protect.
Magnetic Shielding Foil Design and Customization
More recent technological advances have allowed for a shielding method where a special spray with copper, nickel, and aluminum particles is coated onto the plastic housing of a device. For applications where space is limited, a special type of magnetic shielding foil is used. This foil is available in a variety of sizes and permeability levels to meet the needs of the equipment with which it will be used. Some manufacturers supply rolls of this foil to other product developers, and they will even produce custom sizes for large business clients.
Benefits of Using Magnetic Shielding Foil
Because the foil is so thin, it can easily be cut and installed in tight spaces where there is not much room for heavy layers of protection. Shielding foil is also usually much cheaper than other shielding solutions. A drawback of magnetic shielding foil is that it can usually only be used in low-intensity settings because the thin layer of foil does not allow for a great amount of electromagnetic absorption like a layer shield of Faraday cage would. It is very easy to handle and install, and it can even be wrapped in spirals around a cable to prevent the wire inside from being disrupted by external electromagnetic waves or from emitting harmful signals beyond the cable.