Sealing it up in Europe

At Aschurch, in the UK, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has constructed Europe's first cleanroom for the production of perfluoroelastomer seals. This means that Trelleborg can now manufacture heat and chemical-resistant rubber seals that meet the stringent standards demanded by the microelectronics, food and pharmaceuticals industries. "At rest, that is with all equipment in place, the facility's production areas have been validated at better than Class 100 (Fed Std 209D)," explains John Woodlock, who is responsible for Busak+Shamban UK. In the cleaning and packing zones, better than Class 1 was achieved (less than 100 particles larger than 0.5µ per cubic foot of air).

Cleanliness essential For seals used in the manufacture of integrated circuits, the microscopic scale involved means that cleanliness is an essential requirement. A circuit measuring 3x3mm can contain hundreds and thousands of transistors, diodes and resistors. "Impurities in the raw material and contaminants arising during the manufacture of seals can migrate out and affect semiconductor yields in the production process," says Elke. "In the same way, particle residue in or on the seals surface resulting from plasma attack can have a negative chemical effect on circuit configuration and performance." The capacity for producing extremely clean seals has allowed Trelleborg Sealing Solutions to access completely new market segments and a product range designed specifically for the microelectronics market has been developed. This market is experiencing strong growth and is considered to offer extensive potential. Busak+Shamban's origins extend back to the 1950s with the founding of Shamban in the US and Busak+Luyken in Germany. The companies began to co-operate closely at an early stage. In 1992, they merged, giving rise to the joint brand of Busak+Shamban. Great energy is invested in adapting materials and functions to meet the most dynamic customer requirements. Busak+Shamban has more than 2,000 different materials at its disposal and is therefore able to identify the optimum sealing solutions for operational environments ranging between -254°C and +325°C. The dimensions of Busak+Shamban's seals vary from half a millimetre to 10m.

Under the Trelleborg umbrella Through the acquisition of Smiths Polymer Sealing Solutions in the autumn of 2003, Busak+Shamban became part of Trelleborg. The majority of the products manufactured by the business area, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, are marketed under the Busak+Shamban brand.

www.trelleborg.com Tel: +46 410 670 00