Ohm values vary for different industrial yarn and threads. Your choice depends on your specific application - do you need conductivity or static dissipation in your process or product?
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at conductive yarns and yarns that dissipate static and their related ohm values. This should help you make a more informed choice about selecting the right yarn for your use.
Definition of Ohm Value
Electrical resistance values are normally expressed as ohms per unit length, which is represented by the symbol Ω. You may see a measurement shown in ohms per centimeter, or ohms/cm, or simply the number followed by Ω.
A high ohm value indicates high resistance, which means there would be a low amount of potential current flow. Conversely, a low ohm resistance indicates a low resistance and a high amount of current flow.
For example, you might have a high ohm value of 300,000 ohms/cm, which is 3 x 10 to the power of 5, or:
3 x 105 = 300,000Ω
Or you may have a low ohm value of 10 ohms/cm. In this example, by comparison, 300,000Ω will be poorly conductive and 10Ω will be very conductive.
Conductive Yarns
Conductive yarns are used primarily to transport ohms of electrical current throughout a smart fabric or away from a critical environment. For example, it may be used in a spray paint hose carrying combustible materials such as solvent-based paints. The conductive yarn moves the current away from the combustion point.
In terms of the benefits of conductive yarns, it’s easily combined or twisted with other yarns to form hybrid fiber constructions that are strong and offer other benefits. For example, it can be combined with a specific aramid yarn that has a high modulus and/or low to no flammability.
Sewing with conductive yarns tends to be easy and it is available in multiple yarn sizes to fit your application. These yarns are also available in many forms, like silver covered nylon, copper, and stainless steel, for additional benefits like thermal resistance.
Select conductive yarns over other types when you must easily conduct higher levels of electrical charge. They are an ideal choice when it is of critical importance to prevent fires and explosions.
Brand names of conductive yarns include W-Static, EMI-Shielding, R-Stat, and others. To discuss specific conductive yarns and decide which might be right for your application, connect with Service Thread for more information.
Yarns for Static Dissipation
Static electricity is generated at the surface of two substances when they are separated, which creates a severe separation of positive and negative charges. Through this process, discharge is created.
The rate of discharge is based on speed, pressure, moisture content, and temperature. When the discharge sparks, it creates dangerous electric shocks, electronic malfunctions, fires, and even explosions.
To prevent this, we can add conductivity to materials with antistatic or conductive fibers. This helps neutralize the static electricity involved and promote safety. The correct level of resistance must be used in static dissipation, or the effect of the current transportation won’t be appropriate for the amount of static electricity involved.
Select a yarn for static dissipation when it’s extremely important that a high level of electrical charge must be conducted. This prevents fires and explosions and allows you to be productive without safety risks to your personnel, materials, or facility.
Brand names of dissipation yarns include No-Shock and Resistat. If static dissipation is a priority for your use, ask to see the ohm values of a selection of yarns before making a decision about what to order.
For further assistance with understanding the ohm value of yarns and choosing the right yarn for your application, contact Service Thread.
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