Technical environment - ESD & ATEX

As early as 1992, the igus® GmbH, together with the PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) in Braunschweig, conducted measurements of the electrical surface leakage resistance of igus® e-chains® with the special material igumid GC, supplemented by additional certifications in 1998 and 1999 according to DIN 53482 and the guidelines for static electricity "ZH1/200" of the Federation of Trade Associations. In the course of further innovation, the material igumid ESD was certified by the PTB (Physikalisch-Technische-Bundesanstalt) in May 2002. In its properties the material igumid ESD combines the requirements of the ESD as well as ATEX factors. With respect to certain mechanical properties, igumid ESD even surpasses the standard igumid GLW material, and was tested in the igus® technical center with more than 10 million cycles.

For many years, safety in hazardous areas and ESD protection in sensitive production areas have been given high priority at igus®. Since 1992, E-Chains® have been manufactured from our special "GC" material. Certified 12 years ago by PTB (German federal office for Physics and Technology), the material was modified in 2002. In spite of homogenous conductivity of the material, common pin/bore design chains can hardly maintain their conductivity within normed conductivity tolerances in the long term.