Polyflor ESD products facilitate a uniform flow of static electricity directly to a ground point. Available from Altico, a division of Actum Electronics, the range includes SD, EC and conductive ROF floorings, each of which combines static control properties with hardwearing and decorative qualities.
SD flooring is a hardwearing homogeneous contact sheet or tile floor covering engineered specifically for ESD (electrostatic discharge) protection. SD floor coverings are treated chemically to discharge static electricity.
They must be applied in a controlled environment with a relative humidity of more than 40%. Typical applications range from electronics to medical, manufacturing and mining, which all have different conductivity requirements.
Altico is rolling out Polyflor’s SD (Static Dissipative) ESD flooring in a flagship project for electronics repair chain iFix Repair Specialists. The project has covered 14 stores countrywide to date, from 20 m2 to 40 m2, with another five in the pipeline, notes Nicholas Sibanda, technical sales manager. Altico is both the preferred supplier and installer of the Polyflor ESD range in South Africa.
The floor preparation involves laying down an initial screed. An aluminium grid is then laid down, followed by the Polyflor tiles themselves, which are affixed using a conductive adhesive. Finally the electrical earthing of the building is connected to the floor.
“One of the main benefits of dealing with Altico is that we provide a full testing service, with the capability of being able to provide the necessary ESD certification,” Sibanda points out. “This gives our customers total peace of mind.”
The scope of the project has proved a major challenge, but is a good testament of the total solution offered by Altico. “We have seen a steady increase in the demand for anti-static flooring solutions as European manufacturers especially set up shop in South Africa, with the requirement that their production facilities adhere to European regulations.”
The Actum Group comprises two main divisions. Actum Electronics focuses on electronic components, while Actum Industrial encompasses industrial products, instrumentation, pneumatics and professional tooling.