EMI Gaskets
EMI gaskets create more robust EMI and RFI protection by preventing the leakage of EMI in or out of an enclosure through seams or gaps. EMI enclosures, or "faraday cages", protect sensitive electronic equipment from electromagnetic interference by surrounding EMI sensitive or EMI emitting electronic equipment and absorbing the harmful EMI and RFI. Shielding sensitive electronic equipment from electromagnetic interference (and shielding high EMI-emitting equipment from contaminating other equipment) can be achieved by encasing EMI sensitive or EMI emitting circuits in EMI enclosures. Electronic equipment manufacturers and suppliers use EMI enclosures in applications such as circuit board housings, central processing units, laptops and mobile phone housings. To ensure maximum EMI and RFI containment, EMI gaskets are frequently paired with EMI enclosures to seal gaps, seams and joints, making EMI gaskets often a necessary product in EMI enclosure assemblies.
EMI gaskets are made from electrically conductive rubber, metal or ceramic materials and are often combined with EMI shielding metals. Like gaskets for non-EMI applications, EMI gaskets are often die-cut with precision shapes and holes, they may be extruded into gasket strips, or they may be extruded and bonded to magnetically conductive metals such as nickel, copper or aluminum. As electronic equipment advances and electromagnetic and radio frequencies become higher and stronger, EMI gaskets are used for more robust protection against radio frequency signals which penetrate cracks, gaps and seams to cause equipment malfunction and failure.