Elkton, MD – W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) has now doubled its manufacturing capacity for flat cables to keep pace with customer demand for cables capable of reducing particles and outgassing in semiconductor manufacturing steps such as lithography, ion implantation, and inspection. The additional capacity includes the ability to make flat cables up to 300 mm wide so multiple cables can be replaced with a single, self-supporting cable perfect for stroke lengths of 500 mm or less.

Gore designs high flex cables that survive the extreme conditions found in clean room environments. These cables can be used in ISO14644-1 Class 3 (FS 209E Class 1) environments. The key to Gore’s high flex and low particulation performance is its ePTFE composite jacket. This material has a low coefficient of friction and excellent tear resistance. It is also very flexible and enables flat cables to be stacked on top of each other and slide smoothly without generating particles. Alternative flat cable options use extruded jackets, such as silicone and polyurethane. These cables create particles as they wear because their coefficient of friction is much greater than Gore’s ePTFE composite jacket.

Gore offers several high flex, clean (low particulation and outgassing) cable solutions including GORE™ High Flex Flat Cable, GORE™ Trackless Cable, and GORE™ High Flex Round Cable. GORE™ High Flex Flat Cable provides excellent cable management because they do not require cable dividers within cable track. This reduces particulation and results in extended cable life. GORE™ Trackless Cable eliminates the need for cable track and many of the problems associated with cable track, such as particulation, vibration, size, weight and noise. Additionally, a low particulation jacket is available for GORE™ High Flex Round Cable.

These cables are available on Gore’s on-line design tool, where design engineers can choose from standard cable cores and components to design high flex cables and/or assemblies. The GORE™ High Flex Cable Configurator can be accessed at gore.com/designacable. Gore’s on-line cable offerings include all of the components necessary to drive and control a motion system including shielded/unshielded power and signal, video, Ethernet, IEEE 1394, fiber optic and pneumatic lines.