Discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this September
Experience a breakthrough in packaging & processing and transform your business with solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE

Clamshell cuts costs for computer boards

Anti-static PETG clamshell costs less than previous bag and foam combination. Packaging steps are reduced from three to one.

Self-locking anti-static PETG clamshell (above) provides ample protection while reducing costs and labor. It required no change
Self-locking anti-static PETG clamshell (above) provides ample protection while reducing costs and labor. It required no change

Early this year, printed circuit board manufacturer 3COM completed a switch to a new protective clamshell that incorporates electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection while it saves money and reduces packing time.

The Santa Clara, CA-based maker of communications electronics previously packed its printed circuit boards (PCBs) in an anti-static plastic bag. The bag was then loaded into a box lined with anti-static polyurethane foam cut to fit, a common packaging solution in the electronics field.

The new clamshell is thermoformed out of 15-mil Pentastat(TM) SC 8G/16 polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG)-modified sheet from Klockner Pentaplast (Gordonsville, VA). The sheet uses Eastar(TM) copolyester resin from Eastman Chemical (Kingsport, TN). It's thermoformed by Universal Protective Packaging (Mechanicsburg, PA), which also did the design work.

The hinged outer carton, made of 100% post-consumer recycled chipboard, is printed by Zellerbach (South San Francisco, CA). That company inserts the clamshells from Universal to supply 3COM with a complete package.

Break out of the ordinary: see what’s new in packaging & processing!
At PACK EXPO Las Vegas, you’ll see machinery in action and new tech from 2,300 suppliers, collaborate with experts and explore transformative solutions. Join us this September to experience a breakthrough in packaging and processing.
REGISTER NOW AND SAVE
Break out of the ordinary: see what’s new in packaging & processing!
Conveying Innovations Report
Editors report on distinguishing characteristics that define each new product and collected video demonstrating the equipment or materials as displayed at the show. This topical report, winnowed from nearly 300 PACK EXPO collective booth visits, represents a categorized, organized account of individual items that were selected based on whether they were deemed to be both new, and truly innovative, based on decades of combined editorial experience in experiencing and evaluating PACK EXPO products.
Take me there
Conveying Innovations Report