Guest Blog

Vendor Spotlight: CCI

by Guest on June 29, 2012

(special thanks to CCI for guest blogging the content below!)

CCI Vendor Spotlight Why “CORSTAT” is the best product for you:

CCI ‘makes’ Corstat at our very own factory in Minnesota. The real issue we want to convey is that quality and ESD performance are what should drive the customer’s decision. Along with that, not all conductive corrugated is the same.

So, what makes Corstat different?

  1. ESD consistent shielding: CCI has been making Corstat for over 34 years. Corstat has been approved by the biggest names in Electronics including Defense, Automotive, Space and Medical customers. As Corstat is made, a conductive shielding layer is applied to both sides of corrugated paperboard material. This shielding layer is put-down at a 103 to 104 level. It is the combination of the shielding layers and the ‘air gap’ locked in between the layers that gives you excellent ESD shielding that is better than industry standards. Materials that do not have the ‘air gap’ will not perform as well. This is true of impregnated materials and solid conductive plastics. It is much easier to control Product ESD/Electrical Consistency during the coating process then it is by using loaded fiber materials to make ESD products.
  2. In addition to the shielding layers mentioned in #1, CCI also applies a dissipative ‘varnish’ layer over the Corstat coatings. This is what makes Corstat the most effective conductive corrugated material available. This dissipative varnish does several very importantthings:
    1. It raises the surface resistivity to 105up to 106. This assures the material’s surface will provide a slow enough drainage of static from a part that may have static build-up on it and not damage delicate components. The ESD standard for this function is 104 up to 1010.
    2. The dissipative coating also controls sulfur out-gassing. Regular brown corrugated paper board is made using Sulfur as a manufacturing agent. The sulfur residue can cause lead contamination and build up on sensitive parts and solder areas. CCI’s dissipative over coating controls/negates this affect. Non-coated conductive corrugated does not offer this very important protection.
    3. The dissipative coating also gives the end user the ‘cleanest conductive corrugated on the market.’ The measure for this is the Southerland Rub Test. Regular brown kraft or coated but ‘unsealed’ conductive corrugated can generate a lot of particulates in the manufacturing environment. Foreign Objects and Debris (FOD) are a major problem in the electronics industry.
    4. And finally, Corstat is manufactured to be 100 % Old Corrugated Containers (OCC) recyclable. OCC means that Corstat is the same as any printed or glued brown box you may recycle at home. This is the largest family of recyclable corrugated. When others say that their material is recyclable it may just mean that you can make black roofing paper out of it because there is no way to get the ‘black’ color out. The key is the OCC Standard.

CORSTAT is better, CORSTAT is the best and now you know why.

All-Spec Industries is an authorized distributor of CCI (Conductive Containers, Inc.) static protective packaging. CCI products have been trusted for handling and shipping static sensitive parts for over 30 years.

{ 0 comments }

(Exclusively from Weller!)Ten Commandments of Soldering

by Guest on June 8, 2012

(Special thanks to Weller for guest blogging the content below!)

I. Thou shall not remove tip when soldering iron is powered “on.” Doing so can cause heating element to rise up to approximately 1300°F, resulting in thermal shock and reduced heater life.

Weller Logo II. Thou shall maintain a damp iron sponge, preferably with de-ionized water.

A drenched, as opposed to damp, sponge will bring the temperature of the tip down too drastically, causing thermal shock and reduced tip life. For lead-free solder, a dry cleaner method is recommended.

III. Thou shall not disconnect soldering iron from base unit when powered “on.” Disconnecting or reconnecting the soldering tool from the base unit while powered on may cause a short between non-compatible pins, resulting in damage to the base unit or pencil.

IV. Thou shall maintain a coating of solder on working area of soldering iron tip. Doing so protects the tip from oxidation.

V. Thou shall never drop soldering iron while heated. Dropping the soldering tool while heated may cause thermal / mechanical shock to the heater, sensor, or tip (fractured plating).

VI. Thou shall not throw soldering iron into soldering tool stand. This will have the same effect as Commandment V.

VII. Thou shall never use soldering iron as a crowbar or pry tool. Doing so could chip or pit finish on tip, rendering it useless.

VIII. Thou shall not use sharp or serrated objects to remove tip from soldering iron. This will have the same effect as Commandment VII.

IX. Honor thy “KGB” (Known Good Base). Do not plug a non-working soldering iron into a KGB. This could cause damage to the base.

Weller Soldering Station X. Thou shall turn the station down to lowest setting or use pre-programed set-back when not in use. Turning the station down during non-use periods will prevent severe thermal cycling of the tool. However, tools that are not being used for extended periods of time should be turned off.

 

All-Spec Industries is an authorized distributor of Weller. We stock a large number of Weller products including soldering irons, soldering tips and soldering stations. Weller soldering products are known for their ease of use and durability.

{ 0 comments }

Product Spotlight: Daylight Triple Bright Lamp

by Guest on May 23, 2012

Thanks to the innovative product development team at Daylight, this high-power workstation lamp is available to brighten up the workspaces of professionals and hobbyists.

What makes this lamp so beneficial?

Daylight Triple Bright Lamp The 3 x 14w energy saving Daylight TM tubes offer an outstanding 42w pool of light, enabling even the finest details to literally jump out! It also boasts low heat, yet full spectrum, light with 6,500clip_image002K that reduces any glare and makes color matching and rendering easier – inspiring your work even further! To sum up, it’s a great lamp for a workbench where you work longer hours and need good general lighting.

What difference does the larger shade make?

When it comes to workstation lamps, the larger the better! Not only can the Triple Bright Lamp be adjusted vertically, horizontally and laterally to whatever position you decide, it lights up even the largest workspaces (as well as your desk, drawing boards, etc!)

Why choose Daylight?

One of the main attractions to Daylight products is the unrivalled bright white light, recognized as the perfect lighting for eyes! Many people in the industrial sector work long hours at their workbench, where concentration is key in order to do a good job and eliminate mistakes. Daylight Lamps help provide the most comfortable circumstances for these workers. Their eyes will still be as fresh at the end of day when checking products, as they were at the start.

The Technical Bits

- Daylight TM always fully adheres to the latest RoHS and other European health and safety standards for lighting and electrical appliances.

- All Daylight Lamps are officially UL & CE certified to ensure they adhere to the latest American and European standards for lighting and electrical appliances.

Daylight Company is the manufacturer of an extensive range of task lighting which includes the Triple Bright Lamp, available from All-Spec. To find out more about Daylight Company or Daylight Lamps, please visit www.daylightcompany.com. To place an order for Daylight Company Products you can visit www.All-Spec.com or call All-Spec Industries customer service at (800) 537-0351.

{ 0 comments }

(Exclusively from CCI) Conductive Containers is Environmentally Friendly

by Guest on May 4, 2012

(special thanks to Zach Burton at CCI for guest blogging the content below!)

CCI Storage Did you know that CCI emphasizes a GREEN philosophy?

CCI has solved ESD packaging problems for over 30 years. Many people don’t know how environmentally friendly our materials are. None of CCI’s major raw materials need to end up in a landfill.

Corstat is 100% OCC recyclable. You can recycle your Corstat boxes the same way you would brown corrugated boxes that you set out for pickup at home. The Corstat and dissipative coatings will separate from the paper substrates during the recycling process and the base material will become brown kraft again.

CCI Shipper All of the vacuum forming plastics we use are also recyclable. They can be turned back into 100’s of different and new plastic products. When CCI manufactures vacuum formed trays and clamshells, all of the waste is gathered, sorted by material type, and sent off to the recycler.

Conductive fluted plastic is also recyclable. It too can be turned into a variety of new plastic products.

CCI Foam CCI also uses a wide variety of foams. The waste created is baled and sent back to the foam suppliers to be recycled into new foams or foam products such as carpet pad.

CCI—Protecting the environment while we protect your ESD sensitive electronics.

We here at All-Spec, take pride in our support of green initiatives/ in supporting green initiatives and take every opportunity to ensure we are “staying green”/ being as eco-friendly as possible!

Here are a few examples of how we stay environmentally-friendly:

  • We recently began working with a new, “green”, printing company, Knepper Press, for our quarterly catalog that uses 100% wind power energy.
  • We feature green products including our newly introduced Bio-Stat Biodegradable Bags, which naturally break down only when in contact with other biodegrading material.
  • Also featured in our warehouse, lighting from Orion Energy Systems, which provides us with a 68% reduction in lighting energy.

All-Spec Industries is an authorized distributor of CCI static protective packaging. CCI products have been trusted for handling and shipping static sensitive parts for over 30 years.

{ 0 comments }

All-Spec & CCI Work to Provide Custom Products

by Guest on April 27, 2012

Here at All-Spec, it is our primary goal to provide every customer with the best service possible. Normally, this is done by supplying the standard product we carry at fair prices and short lead times. We enjoy working with CCI because they share the same philosophy.

Here is a recent example of CCI working with customers to give them exactly what they need (special thanks to CCI for providing the content below!):

One of our larger customers has purchased large quantities of Reel Storage products from CCI. On a visit to this account, the CCI sales person received 2 points of concern from the customer.

Blue CCI Storage The customer said, “You know, these 13” FE Reels work great, but I sure wish they were sized to fit our 4 and 8 foot shelving. And I also wish they were available in a lighter color. All this black really makes for a dark storage area.”

Well, custom solutions is what CCI is all about. The customer chose a light blue color and we designed the bin to be 22-3/4” long. The size now fits much better in their 4 and 8’ racking. The light blue color also brightens up their storage area significantly. We are now working on a 7” bin to do the same thing.

This new 22-3/4” bin has 18qty. 1 inch cells. If interested, its part number is 08M-3770.

As noted in this case, CCI was able to alter the color on the outside of the box while only changing the outer layer to the dissipative range and not affecting the conductive shielding inner layers.

Don’t see what you need on our website? Give us a call at 800-537-0351 or email us at sales@all-spec.com and we’ll be happy to work with you in hopes of providing a custom product that meets your needs!

{ 0 comments }

← Previous Entries