The Differences Between Anti-Static, Static Dissipative, Conductive, and Insulative

Static Electricity

As the name implies, static electricity is electricity at rest. An electrical charge occurs due to a transfer of electrons when there is sliding, rubbing, or separating of a material. These act on materials such as: plastics, fiberglass, rubber, textiles, etc., generate electrostatic voltages. Under the right conditions, this induced charge can reach 30,000 to 40,000 volts.

When this happens to an insulating material, like plastic, the charge tends to remain in the localized area of contact. This electrostatic voltage may then discharge via an arc or spark when the plastic material comes in contact with a body at a sufficiently different potential, such as a person or microcircuit.

If Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) occurs to a person, the results may range anywhere from a mild to a painful shock. Extreme cases of ESD, or Arc Flash, can even result in loss of life. These types of sparks are especially dangerous in environments that may contain flammable liquids, solids or gasses, such as in a hospital operating room or explosive device assembly.

Some micro-electronic parts can be destroyed or damaged by ESD as low as 20 volts. Since people are prime causes of ESD, they often cause damage to sensitive electronic parts, especially during manufacturing and assembly. The consequences of discharge through an electrical component sensitive to ESD can range from erroneous readings to permanent damage resulting in excessive equipment downtime and costly repair or total part replacement.

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

The sudden flow of electricity between two electrically charged objects caused by contact, an electrical short, or dielectric breakdown. A buildup of static electricity can be caused by turbocharging or by electrostatic induction.

Anti-Static

Preventing the buildup of static electricity. Reducing static electric charges, as on textiles, waxes, polishes, etc., by retaining enough moisture to provide electrical conduction.

Dissipative

The charges flow to ground more slowly and in a somewhat more controlled manner than with conductive materials. Dissipative materials have a surface resistivity equal to or greater than 1 x 10⁵ Ω/sq but less than 1 x 10¹² Ω/sq or a volume resistivity equal to or greater than 1 x 10⁴ Ω-cm but less than 1 x 10¹¹ Ω-cm.

Conductive

With a low electrical resistance, electrons flow easily across the surface or through the bulk of these materials. Charges go to ground or to another conductive object that the material contacts or comes close to. Conductive materials have a surface resistivity less than 1 x 10⁵ Ω/sq or a volume resistivity less than 1 x 10⁴ Ω-cm.

Insulative

Insulative materials prevent or limit the flow of electrons across their surface or through their volume. Insulative materials have a high electrical resistance and are difficult to ground. Static charges remain in place on these materials for a very long time. Insulative materials are defined as those having a surface resistivity of at least 1 x 10¹² Ω/sq or a volume resistivity of at least 1 x 10¹¹ Ω-cm.

Low charging (anti-static) materials used to make these natural fill brushes include Wood, Hog Bristle, Horse Hair and Goat Hair. These materials can be used in ESD sensitive areas as long as the brush remains in a liquid environment. In a dry environment, only conductive or dissipative materials should be used in ESD safe areas.

Gordon Brush® manufacturers a wide variety of standard Anti-Static, Dissipative, Conductive, and Insulative brushes. We can even customize any of these various types of brushes for you too! Call us today for a free quote. If a brush exists, we have it…If it doesn't, we'll make it!!!

CEO Ken Rakusin is guiding the award winning California manufacturer to growth through acquisitions and the capability to make any and all brushes.

Producing more than 17,000 different brushes for every industry imaginable, Gordon Brush is the leading brush manufacturer in the nation. Its catalog typically grows by 15 to 20 styles every single week.

"If a brush exists, we have it," says Rakusin. "If it doesn't, we'll make it. What most people don't realize is that almost every single type of industry needs brushes for one reason or another. For us, there are two general types of brush categories. One is the stock or standard type of brush and the other 50 percent are custom brushes." Custom clients run the gamut from cookie bakeries looking to clean conveyor lines to NASA for telescope lens upkeep.

The company, established in 1951 by founder Don Gordon, now has a dozen brands, of which two date back to the 19th century and one has been around since 1855. Through acquisitions over the decades, Gordon Brush has grown into numerous markets, expanding its reach into such industries as aerospace, medical, military, pharmaceutical, and electronics.

Ken Rakusin with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Congresswoman Grace Napolitano. Photos Ashley Horne.

"We generally make two acquisitions a year," says Rakusin. "We acquire companies whose ownership is ready to retire and that fits well with our product line. Over time, this has expanded the depth and breadth of our product line and has helped us acquire new customers."

Within the company's 183,000-square-foot facility, manufacturing and assembly capabilities allow for fast turnaround times. "We can offer same-day shipping on over 3,500 standard types of brushes and can sometimes deliver specialty and custom brushes in one business day or less," says Rakusin. "Our facility combines both modern automated and semi-automated equipment that can help us produce 50,000 to 100,000 pieces a day. Yet, there are some brushes which need to be done by hand and requires an artisan aspect to some of our specialty products. Brush manufacturing is an art, so we often train employees with the skills needed to operate machinery as well as learning the skills to create products that need to be made by hand."

Read the complete article at https://companyweek.com/company-profile/gordon-brush

The Costly Battle Against Chinese Knockoffs – Here’s a Real Life Example

Thousands of U.S. brands have found almost identical copies of their products being sold by Chinese companies online. From cars to clothes, the Chinese knock-off industry has grown rapidly in recent years along with the internet. With low manufacturing costs and massive demand, it doesn’t look like it’s going away any time soon.

The American made Footmate® System, a brand owned by Gordon Brush® is currently dealing with the issue. Their trademarked product is a brush that goes in the shower or bath to clean, massage, and scrub feet. The product features over 11,000 bristles and suction cups on the bottom for easy use. Gordon Brush® has been producing the Footmate® System since 2012, but has been hard hit by Chinese knock-offs. The latest infringer of their established product is Allstar Products Group, a consumer products company, which released the Fresh Feet Scrubber in February.

The product is an exact replica of the Footmate® brush, from the color scheme, to its description on their website, and an almost exact copy of their video.

Read the complete article and watch the video at https://madeinamerica.com/costly-battle-against-chinese-knockoffs/

Gordon Brush, Made in America Interview

Gordon Brush® is one of the largest manufacturers of custom brushes in the world. They design brushes for a wide range of applications, from surgical procedures to cleaning equipment for the U.S. Military. Even under competitive threats, Gordon Brush stays committed to manufacturing in the U.S.

In this interview, Alan Schechter, Vice President, discusses Gordon Brush’s growing brand and marketing strategies.

Why You Should Buy American Made Products
by Alan Schechter

There are many reasons to buy American made products: click the link below to read the complete interview and the reasons to buy American made products.

https://madeinamerica.com/gordon-brush/

Let's Talk About Flow-Thru Brushes

Flow-Thru brushes have been called various names, with none related to Flo from Progressive Insurance. The name is derived from the function of the brush, due to the way it is constructed; it enables liquid to flow through the bristles for specific applications.

The brushes can be attached to a wide variety of handles, blocks, or other apparatuses that dispense liquid. Flow-Thru brushes can be made from many different types of bristle material, styles, and configurations.

The fill material used in the brush can come from natural, synthetic, or metal sources. The use of the brush will determine the types of fill material and handle to be used. The most common fiber material for use in Flow-Thru brushes is natural bristle. Natural bristle works best when liquids are involved, as it does not disintegrate or leave residue and is cost effective. Synthetic materials are often used for general purpose cleaning, and some are chemical resistant. Metallic materials are used for heavy duty cleaning and cleaning other metallic surfaces.

Specific uses for Flow-Thru industrial brushes include, but are not limited to:

• Adhesives
  
• Cleaners
• Electro-plating Touch Up
• Enamel
• Glue
• Grease
• Lubricants
• Sealants
• Solvents
• Water

Gordon Brush® manufactures many different styles and shapes of Flow-Thru brushes. These premium quality American made Flow-Thru brushes, do the job for which they are intended™, just ask Flo.

In addition to our lines of stock, Flow-Thru brushes, we would be pleased to customize a Flow-Thru brush to meet your rigid specifications. Call our brush makers for a quote today. If a brush exists, we have it…if it doesn't, we'll make it!

All About Non-Sparking Brushes

We all have witnessed fire engines racing to extinguish flames billowing from a factory, an oil rig, a coal mine, grain elevators, a refinery, nuclear, or food processing, paper processing plants, or any other environment that uses or generates explosive gases or flammable materials. While most industries do not have to worry about static discharge, whenever flammable gas is in the air, such as acetone or methane, even a small discharge can create a fire or explosion.

How or why did this occur? The reason was likely due to static electricity that caused a spark that ignited the explosive gases or flammable materials. For this reason, it is imperative that to prevent the generation of sparks in these types of environments, one should use a non-sparking tool. One such tool used in these environments are brushes. Non-sparking brushes can be used to machine, clean, or repair in explosive or flammable atmospheres.

Non-sparking brushes are those that do not contain ferrous metals. Ferrous metals include steel and iron, in all of their different combinations. Items that are made from carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron or wrought iron all have the possibility of producing a spark. Non-ferrous metals include aluminum, copper, brass, silver, lead, and phosphor bronze. Other non-sparking materials include plastic, wood, and leather.

Gordon Brush® manufactures over 100 different styles and shapes of non-sparking brushes using some of the non-ferrous metals stated above and set in either wood or plastic handles. These premium quality American made non-sparking brushes, do not generate a spark when used properly, in explosive or flammable work environments.

In addition to our lines of stock, non-sparking brushes, we would be pleased to customize a non-sparking brush to meet your rigid specifications. Call us for a quote today.

In most cases, one wants to get the most "bang for their buck". However, in these environments, one should avoid wanting the "bang", so purchase your bang-free, non-sparking brushes from Gordon Brush®. Trust the experts in industrial brush manufacturing.

If a brush exists, we have it…if it doesn't, we'll make it!

Thunderon® Brushes

In the electronics, printing, and medical device industries, static electricity can be a major, and sometimes, life-threatening issue. For this reason, static electricity control is an essential strategy that needs to be planned for. One method of controlling for static electricity is to use brushes with conductive or static dissipative filaments. One such line of brushes is called Thunderon®. Thunderon® brushes come in two varieties: Pure Thunderon® and Thunderon® mixed with Goat Hair. Thunderon® is a is a very thin (0.0015" diameter) organic conductive fiber, made from copper sulfide (Cu₉S₅) that is chemically bonded to acrylic and Nylon fibers. This outer layer becomes a part of the host fiber itself, which precludes the 'flaking' problem experienced by other conductive fibers. The fiber diameter is 0.004 cm, with a conductive layer of 300~1,000Å, and an electrical specific resistance of 10^-1 - 10^-2 W/cm. Thunderon® offers far greater control of static electricity, and superiority in overall performance, than carbon coated conductive fiber. The fiber will dissipate a charge on any electrically charged surface; static charges that makes dirt and particles adhere to work surfaces. Thunderon® brushes have several advantages:

·        Wear resistance against abrasion
·        Unmatched corona discharge
·        Superb conductivity
·        Antibacterial effect due to the presence of the copper ion
 Thunderon® mixed with Goat Hair will dissipate a charge on any electrically charged surface. The ultra-soft Goat Hair combined with the anti-static properties of Thunderon® make this brush perfect for applications requiring electrical conductivity, static dissipation, or EMI shielding properties. Gordon Brush® offers a variety of Thunderon® brushes in standard styles and shapes to accommodate your exact needs. Brush styles range from the SST Series (pencil style handles) to the Aluminum Handle Series (metal toothbrush style) to the Dissipative Brushes. The Dissipative Brushes are made with two standard handle shapes, similar to drafting brushes. Both handle styles are made with black conductive plastic that has a surface resistivity of 10⁵.
 All brush styles with 100% Thunderon® material are very soft because of the fineness of the fiber. The Thunderon®/Goat Hair mixture, while still quite soft, is stiffer than 100% Thunderon® and is less expensive.
 GordonBrush® also offers Thunderon® in a variety of styles including strip, cylinder, handheld, and block brushes. Just let us know your needs, and we will design the perfect brush for you. We even manufacture other brushes for ESD and cleanroom applications. If a brush exists, we have it…if it doesn't, we'll make it!