Parylene coating forming an ultra-thin, transparent protective layer on electronic components

Parylene Coating Explained – Invisible Protection with Visible Results

November 5, 2025 Parylene

When it comes to protecting sensitive electronics and critical components, the best solutions are often the ones you can’t see. Parylene coating is exactly that — an ultra-thin, transparent film that provides superior protection without adding weight, altering dimensions, or affecting performance.

In this article, we break down what Parylene is, how the process works, and why it delivers results you can trust but barely see.

What is Parylene?

Parylene is a family of polymer coatings applied using a unique vapour deposition process. Unlike liquid coatings, it doesn’t rely on solvents or curing. Instead, it forms a pinhole-free, conformal layer that follows every contour of the surface — even sharp edges, crevices, and internal cavities.

Key Characteristics:

Completely transparent and ultra-thin (typically 5–50 µm)
Solvent-free, vacuum-deposited protective film
Uniform coating with no pooling or bridging
Excellent barrier to moisture, chemicals, and gases
High dielectric strength and electrical insulation

For a deeper understanding of how different Parylene grades behave in real applications, see our guide to Parylene basics: dimer grades, properties and applications.

How is Parylene Applied? The Vapour Deposition Process

Parylene coating isn’t sprayed or dipped — it’s deposited molecule by molecule in a vacuum chamber. Here’s how:

Vaporisation – Solid Parylene dimer is heated under vacuum, turning it into a vapour.
Pyrolysis – The vapour is heated again to break the dimer into monomers.
Deposition – These monomers enter a cool coating chamber where they polymerise and form a thin, uniform film over all exposed surfaces.
No Cure Required – Unlike liquid coatings, Parylene is ready immediately — no oven curing, no drying time.

This unique process ensures 360° coverage, reaching areas where sprays, brushes, and dips simply can’t.

Why Use Parylene? Visible Results from an Invisible Layer

Although invisible to the eye, Parylene’s protective performance delivers very real benefits:

Benefit	What It Means
Moisture & Chemical Barrier	Protects against corrosion, solvents, humidity, body fluids and harsh environments
Electrical Insulation	High dielectric strength and low leakage — ideal for PCBs, medical devices, sensors
Ultra-Thin & Lightweight	Adds protection without affecting size, weight or functionality
Biocompatible & ISO 10993 Certified	Safe for medical, implantable and life-science applications
Long-Term Reliability	No cracking, peeling, or yellowing — even under stress or thermal cycling

Where Is Parylene Used?

Parylene’s versatility makes it suitable across many industries where reliability is critical:

Aerospace & Defence — avionics, satellites, fuel systems, sensors
Medical Devices — catheters, implants, hearing aids, surgical tools
Automotive & EV — PCBs, battery systems, ADAS components
Consumer Electronics — wearables, sensors, microcircuits
Industrial & Energy — sensors, control systems, harsh environment electronics

Parylene vs Traditional Liquid Conformal Coatings

Feature	Parylene	Conformal Coatings (Acrylic, Silicone, Urethane)
Application	Vacuum deposition	Brush, spray, dip
Coverage	Complete 3D coverage, no shadows	Limited by line-of-sight application
Thickness	5–50 µm highly uniform	Often uneven, 25–200 µm
Solvents	Solvent-free	May contain VOCs
Cure Time	No cure required	Minutes to hours
Adhesion	Requires pre-clean and adhesion promoter	Generally good without promoter
Cost	Higher per unit — but minimal rework and failures	Lower upfront cost but more defects/rework

Find out more about the difference between Parylene and conformal coatings here.

Is Parylene Right for Your Product?

Parylene is ideal when:

You need high reliability in extreme environments
Conventional coatings don’t reach complex geometries
Devices are miniaturised or lightweight
Biocompatibility and cleanliness are required
Long-term product life and consistency are critical

Conclusions

Parylene may be invisible, but the results are not. With unmatched uniformity, protection and long-term performance, it delivers reliability where failure is simply not an option.

Whether you’re designing next-generation electronics, life-saving medical devices, or mission-critical aerospace systems — Parylene ensures invisible protection with visible results.

Subcontract conformal coating services for electronics manufacturing

The Hidden Costs of DIY Coating vs using SCH Services Coating Solutions

October 27, 2025 Coating Services

When “Doing It Yourself” Costs More Than You Think

In electronics manufacturing, it’s easy to assume that keeping conformal coating in-house will save time and money. But in reality, “DIY coating” often leads to hidden costs—extra labour, quality issues, and expensive downtime.

Setting up and maintaining a coating process is far more complex than most production teams anticipate. From equipment calibration to masking accuracy and inspection control, there’s a steep learning curve that can impact yield and product reliability.

At SCH Services Ltd, we specialise in subcontract conformal coating, helping manufacturers achieve consistent, high-quality protection without the overhead of running their own coating line.

1. Equipment Costs That Don’t Pay You Back

A full coating setup involves more than just a spray booth or dip system. You’ll need extraction units, curing ovens, inspection lighting, masking materials, and precision jigs—plus ongoing maintenance. These capital investments rarely achieve full utilisation. Production peaks and dips leave expensive machinery sitting idle, while maintenance and calibration costs continue to rise.

By outsourcing to SCH Services, you eliminate capital expenditure. Our purpose-built coating facilities operate at optimal efficiency every day, meaning you only pay for the coating you need—nothing more.

To understand what is really involved in setting up and maintaining an in-house line, see our overview of conformal coating systems and the equipment typically required to achieve repeatable results.

2. Labour and Training: The Hidden Overhead

DIY coating requires skilled technicians. Training staff to apply, inspect, and handle materials safely takes time and experience. Turnover or absences can leave you short-staffed, stalling production and increasing the risk of errors.

At SCH, our trained coating technicians and quality inspectors are dedicated specialists. Every board is processed under controlled conditions and backed by documented inspection data. That ensures consistent quality—without the cost of training or supervision on your side.

3. Rework, Rejects, and Quality Risks

DIY coating often appears cheaper—until rework begins. Missed areas, conformal coating defects, or masking failures can trigger costly reprocessing, material waste, and delivery delays.

SCH’s inspection process ensures uniform coverage and reliable protection on every job. Using magnification, controlled environments, and robust masking methods, we maintain repeatable coating quality that meets industry standards for aerospace, defence, medical, and automotive sectors.

4. Compliance and Environmental Control

Operating a coating line means dealing with solvents, VOC emissions, and waste disposal. Each of these brings legal, environmental, and safety obligations that require ongoing monitoring and documentation.

SCH Services operates under ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification, with fully compliant extraction and waste management systems already in place. Outsourcing to a certified partner removes this regulatory burden, protecting both your people and your audit trail.

5. Scalability and Turnaround

In-house coating can quickly become a production bottleneck—especially when volumes fluctuate or customer deadlines tighten.

SCH offers flexible capacity for both prototype and high-volume coating, ensuring consistent turnaround times without compromising quality. Whether you need rapid response on urgent jobs or scheduled coating support, we align with your production goals.

6. The True Value: Focus on Core Expertise

Ultimately, your team’s expertise is in designing, manufacturing, or assembling electronics—not in learning to mask, coat, and cure boards.

By partnering with SCH Services, you gain a trusted in-house extension that handles coating complexity for you.

You’ll benefit from:
• Lower overall costs (no capital, no rework, no waste)
• Predictable lead times
• Consistent quality and traceability
• Certified environmental and process compliance
• The freedom to focus on your core business

Conclusion: When Expertise Pays for Itself

DIY conformal coating can look attractive on paper—but the real costs soon surface in training, downtime, and rework. By outsourcing to SCH Services Ltd, you gain precision, consistency, and efficiency from day one.

Ready to compare the true cost difference?

Talk to our team today about how our subcontract and in-house coating solutions can reduce your costs and improve reliability.

Speak to our coating specialists
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Filler-free ESD coating using conductive polymer technology

Filler‑Free ESD Coating: The Next Generation of Static Control

October 24, 2025 ProShieldESD

When you hear “ESD coating,” most people picture a paint loaded with carbon or metal particles. But that’s exactly where conventional solutions fall short. The future lies in filler-free ESD coatings, and ProShieldESD is leading that shift.

Unlike traditional ESD paints and molded plastics that depend on conductive fillers, ProShieldESD uses a pure polymer backbone to deliver permanent, homogeneous static dissipation. It’s a technology that doesn’t just improve coatings — it transforms how industries approach ESD control.

For a broader overview of permanent static control technologies, see our ProShieldESD coating platform.

Why Filler-Based Solutions Fail

Filler‑based ESD coatings and conductive plastics have long been the default—but they come with built-in compromises:
• Segregation & clustering: Conductive particles (carbon, metal) can shift or clump during mixing, altering performance.
• Variable conductivity: Rather than a uniform layer, resistivity varies across a surface — creating weak zones.
• Drift over time: Particles wear, get damaged, or shift, especially under stress or in low humidity.
• Limited retrofit potential: You can’t reliably convert existing surfaces with molded ESD plastics — you need custom parts or high-cost replacements.

Many of these issues are explored in more detail in our ESD Control Knowledge Hub, including humidity sensitivity and long-term performance drift.

How ProShieldESD Changes the Game

1. Conductivity built in, not added

ProShieldESD’s conductivity comes from a 100% conductive polymer matrix — no fillers, no additives. The result is a coating whose static control is intrinsic and integral, not surface-limited.

2. Multi-chemistry platform

What makes this even more powerful is that the same foundational technology can be adapted across chemistries — PU, epoxy, water-based, solvent-based — and still maintain the same performance. That’s the platform difference.

3. Universal retrofit

Existing assets like floors, walls, metal structures, plastics, foams, or cartons can be coated directly. There’s no need to replace with engineered parts or rework your infrastructure.

4. Stability under extremes

Unlike filler-based coatings that fail under low humidity or heavy use, ProShieldESD remains stable. It doesn’t drift. It doesn’t degrade. It doesn’t need reapplication.

Use Cases Across Industries

Because it’s a platform (not a single product), ProShieldESD’s filler-free coating adapts to multiple sectors:

Electronics & Semiconductor — critical work surfaces, benches, ESD-safe trays
Aerospace & Defence — composite structures, metal racks, test jigs
Military & Rugged Systems — field-grade housings, transit cases
Automotive & Battery — factory floors, battery enclosures
Energy & Chemicals — piping, drums, containment vessels
RF & Antenna — radomes, enclosures where signal integrity matters
Packaging & Logistics — cartons, foams, crates
Explosives & Pyrotechnics — safe work surfaces under low-humidity

These are examples, not limits — the platform extends into applications where traditional filler-based ESD materials struggle to maintain stable conductivity, particularly under low humidity, mechanical wear, or long-term use. This is why platform-based solutions such as the ProShieldESD filler-free ESD coating platform are increasingly adopted.

Filler-Free vs Filler-Based: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Aspect	Filler-Based Coatings / Plastics	Filler-Free (ProShieldESD Platform)
Dependence on particles	Yes (carbon, metal powders)	No — conductivity built into polymer backbone
Uniformity	Varies, prone to weak spots	Homogeneous across entire surface
Drift / degradation	Likely over time	Stable, permanent, low maintenance
Retrofit ability	Limited to purpose-made parts	Can be applied to existing assets
Humidity / environment impact	Sensitive, loses performance	Maintains conductivity in diverse conditions
Chemistry flexibility	Fixed for each formulation	Platform supports multiple chemistries

The Bigger Picture: Platform Thinking

Yes — we’re talking filler-free coating techniques here. But what elevates it is positioning this as a platform — one that scales, adapts, and future-proofs static control solutions.

• The same technology underpins every variant (PU, epoxy, water-based, solvent-based).
• Performance doesn’t change even if the formulation does.
• It allows ESD control to be modular, systemic, and unified across operations.

That means less disruption, fewer specialty parts, and more reliability across your entire facility.

Getting Started

Transitioning to filler-free ESD control doesn’t require a total overhaul. ProShieldESD’s retrofit-friendly approach means you can roll out pilot sections — floors, benches, enclosures — and expand gradually, all while maintaining full operational continuity.

Call: +44 (0)1226 249019

Email: sales@schservices.com

Learn more: ProShieldESD Platform Page

Illustration showing filler-free conductive polymer structure used in ProShieldESD ESD coatings, enabling uniform static dissipation without carbon or metal fillers.

Dispelling the Myths About Static Control Paints

October 22, 2025 ProShieldESD

Static control paints (more accurately described as ESD control coatings) are widely used in electronics, aerospace, and manufacturing environments—but not all paints are created equal. Many misconceptions exist about how they work, their durability, and whether they truly provide permanent ESD protection. Let’s separate fact from fiction.

This article focuses on static control coatings as part of a wider ESD strategy, which is explained in more detail within the
ProShieldESD filler-free ESD coating platform.

Myth 1: All ESD Paints Provide the Same Protection

Fact: Traditional ESD coatings usually rely on carbon or metal fillers to achieve conductivity. These fillers can clump, settle, and create weak points. The result? Inconsistent protection across the surface.

ProShield Advantage: ProShield ESD coatings deliver homogeneous, permanent conductivity—no fillers, no hot spots, no weak zones.

Myth 2: ESD Paints Last Forever

Fact: Conventional paints degrade over time. Abrasion, cleaning, and environmental exposure all reduce performance, meaning they often need reapplication.

ProShield Advantage: ProShield is a permanent polymer-based coating. It bonds directly to surfaces and maintains its conductivity without reapplication, even under demanding conditions.

Myth 3: Paints Can Replace All Other Static Control Measures

Fact: Paints are only one layer of protection. They work best when integrated into the ESD Control Pyramid alongside grounding, dissipative materials, and anti-static measures. Effective static control programs are typically designed around IEC 61340 and ANSI/ESD S20.20, where coatings act as one controlled element rather than a standalone solution.

ProShield Advantage: Because ProShield covers the full range—from conductive (10⁴ Ω) through dissipative (10⁹ Ω)—it integrates seamlessly into layered ESD programs.

Myth 4: Molded ESD Plastics Are Always Better Than Paints

Fact: Molded parts are expensive, require tooling, and can also suffer from inconsistent conductivity due to filler distribution.

ProShield Advantage: ProShield coatings eliminate the need for costly molded plastics. They can be applied directly to standard plastics, foams, housings, and floors—delivering permanent, uniform protection at a lower cost.

The Truth About ProShield ESD
ProShield ESD coatings stand apart from traditional static control paints:

Permanent protection (no reapplication needed)
Homogeneous conductivity across every surface
Coverage from 10⁴ to 10⁹ Ω (conductive through dissipative)
Flexible, cost-effective alternative to both filler-based paints and molded plastics

By dispelling the myths, it’s clear: ProShield ESD is not just another paint—it’s a breakthrough in permanent, reliable static control.

To explore the technology, test data, and application options in more detail, visit www.proshieldesd.com.

How ProShield ESD Fits Into the ESD Control Pyramid

October 20, 2025 ProShieldESD

Controlling electrostatic discharge (ESD) is not about a single product or measure—it’s about building layers of protection. The ESD Control Pyramid is a useful way of visualising this: grounding forms the base, conductive and dissipative materials provide the structure, and anti-static measures help at the top to prevent charge build-up.

ESD control pyramid showing grounding, conductive and dissipative layers supported by ProShield ESD coatings

The ESD Control Pyramid illustrates how grounding, conductive and dissipative materials work together to provide complete static control.

At SCH Services Ltd, our ProShield ESD coating platform integrates seamlessly into this pyramid, covering the range from conductive (10⁴ Ω) through dissipative (10⁹ Ω), ensuring permanent, reliable static control across modern manufacturing environments.

The Base: Grounding and Conductive Materials

At the bottom of the pyramid sits grounding. Conductive materials (10³–10⁴ Ω) provide a fast, direct path to discharge static energy safely into ground.

Grounding and verification are typically managed within an overall ESD control program (for example IEC 61340 and ANSI/ESD S20.20), where the objective is controlled discharge without damaging sensitive devices.

How ProShield helps: By offering coatings at the conductive range, ProShield can be applied to fixtures, housings, or components that need a reliable path to ground—without resorting to costly moulded conductive plastics.

The Middle: Dissipative Materials

Above grounding, the pyramid relies on dissipative materials (10⁴–10⁹ Ω) to control the speed of discharge. This is where most ESD-sensitive environments—electronics manufacturing, aerospace, and medical—need protection.

How ProShield helps: ProShield ESD coatings are engineered to be permanent dissipative solutions. Unlike filler-based paints that degrade or moulded parts that require costly tooling, ProShield provides homogeneous, long-lasting protection across surfaces—helping charge dissipate safely and predictably.

The Top: Anti-Static Measures

Anti-static measures sit at the top of the pyramid. They reduce charge generation in the first place by minimising triboelectric charging caused by friction and separation. While they don’t remove existing charges, they reduce the likelihood of charge build-up.

How ProShield helps: ProShield integrates well into anti-static environments by ensuring that, if a charge does appear, it is either dissipated or conducted away safely—completing the pyramid of protection.

Why ProShield Outperforms Traditional Solutions

Many businesses rely on traditional ESD paints or moulded ESD plastics, but both have limits:

Paints = filler clumps, uneven coverage, performance drift, reapplication needed

Moulded plastics = costly tooling, limited retrofit flexibility, resistivity variation from filler distribution

ProShield is different:

✔ Covers 10⁴–10⁹ Ω in a scalable solution
✔ Permanent and homogeneous (no fillers, no reapplication)
✔ Works on standard plastics, foams, housings, fixtures, and floors
✔ Reduces dependency on specialty materials and purpose-built moulded parts

The ProShield Advantage in the Pyramid

The ESD Control Pyramid requires all three layers to function effectively. With ProShield ESD coatings, you gain:

✔ Conductive-range options for grounding paths at the base
✔ Dissipative performance through the working range most EPA environments require
✔ Compatibility with anti-static measures to reduce charge build-up and risk

By bridging every level of the pyramid, ProShield ESD offers a smarter, permanent, and cost-effective way to achieve complete static control—without the compromises of older filler-based technologies.

Learn more: Explore the ProShield ESD coating platform.

Applications of the ProShieldESD Coating Platform

October 17, 2025 ProShieldESD

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a persistent challenge across almost every sector — from damaging microelectronics to creating ignition hazards in volatile environments. Traditional anti-static coatings and ESD plastics can degrade, lose effectiveness, or require costly replacement. The ProShieldESD coating platform changes that. Built on a permanent, filler-free conductive polymer backbone, it delivers lasting static dissipative and conductive performance across industries and substrates.

What makes ProShieldESD different is not just the chemistry — it’s the breadth of its applications. This isn’t a single product. It’s a platform technology that can be adapted across multiple coating chemistries and surface types.

Why Applications Matter

Every industry faces unique ESD risks:

Electronics: a single static event can damage sensitive components.
Aerospace & defence: static discharge can compromise mission-critical systems.
Logistics: packaging must remain stable across wide humidity changes.

With ProShieldESD, one platform addresses these challenges without fillers, frequent reapplication cycles, or expensive engineered plastics.

Key Industry Applications

Electronics & Semiconductor

ProShieldESD creates consistent static control across tools, fixtures, floors, and packaging. Unlike many conventional ESD paints, it maintains stable resistivity even in low humidity—reducing the risk of latent damage in sensitive assemblies.

Aerospace & Defence

Aerospace and defence systems demand durable performance under extremes of temperature, altitude, and vibration. ProShieldESD can be applied to composites, racks, and test infrastructure to support permanent static control without adding significant weight or forcing redesign.

Military & Ruggedised Systems

From field electronics to vehicle housings, rugged equipment must remain reliable in harsh environments. ProShieldESD coatings retrofit onto existing systems, helping reduce cost while maintaining performance over time.

Pharma & Healthcare

Static control is also important for safety and cleanliness. ProShieldESD can help keep cleanroom walls, ceilings, and equipment static-safe, reducing dust attraction and supporting controlled environments.

Automotive & Battery

With the rise of EV manufacturing, static control has become central to quality and safety. ProShieldESD can be used on floors, racks, and enclosures to support safe handling of sensitive battery modules and electronics.

Energy & Chemicals

In environments handling powders, gases, or volatile liquids, static sparks can present ignition risk. ProShieldESD coatings can be applied to drums, vessels, and pipes to provide stable discharge paths without relying on fillers that wear away.

RF & Antenna Systems

A key advantage of ProShieldESD is its potential for signal-friendly static control. Unlike many carbon-filled coatings that can detune or attenuate RF performance, ProShieldESD can dissipate static without relying on heavy conductive fillers—supporting applications such as radomes, antenna housings, and radar-related enclosures.

Packaging & Logistics

Packaging must travel across varying climates. ProShieldESD provides permanent static control for cartons, foams, and crates—reducing dependency on expensive ESD-rated packaging materials.

Explosives & Pyrotechnics

In explosive or pyrotechnic environments, static discharge can be dangerous. ProShieldESD coatings can create safer discharge paths on bins, crates, and work surfaces, including in low-humidity conditions.

Why ProShieldESD is a Platform, Not Just a Paint

ProShieldESD is more than a single coating. It’s a platform technology that can be supplied in multiple chemistries (for example polyurethane, epoxy, water-based, and solvent-based variants). These are examples, not limits. If you can coat it, you can protect it.

This flexibility allows manufacturers to integrate permanent static control into existing finishing processes—making ESD protection scalable, cost-effective, and future-proof.

Learn More

The potential of ProShieldESD coating platform applications is broad — and still expanding. From electronics to RF communications, from aerospace to packaging, it redefines how industries manage static risk.

For detailed industry use cases, visit the ProShieldESD applications page.

Call: +44 (0)1226 249019
Email: sales@schservices.com
Contact: Contact Us

The Science of Consistency: Homogeneous Performance in ESD Coatings and Mouldings

October 16, 2025 ProShieldESD

Homogeneous ESD protection is critical when consistency matters. A static control solution that works in one area but fails in another is no protection at all. That’s why uniform conductivity across every surface is essential in modern manufacturing environments.

From electronics manufacturing to medical devices, aerospace, and automotive systems, the demand for reliable, permanent static protection has never been higher. Yet traditional options—whether carbon-filled coatings or moulded ESD boxes—struggle to deliver true uniformity.

Why Consistency Matters in Static Control

Even the smallest gap in conductivity creates a weak point where electrostatic discharge (ESD) can occur. Sensitive components can be destroyed by as little as 30 volts—far below what humans can feel. Without uniform protection, businesses face:

⚠️ Product failures from hidden ESD damage

⚠️ Costly downtime caused by rework and repairs

⚠️ Quality issues that undermine reliability and compliance

The Problem with Fillers and Moulded Boxes

Carbon and metal-filled coatings are prone to clumping, settling, and uneven distribution. This creates patchy coverage and inconsistent results. Over time, fillers can migrate or flake, leading to contamination in sensitive environments.

Moulded ESD boxes and plastics come with their own challenges. Conductivity is uneven throughout the material, surfaces wear with use, and designs are limited to fixed shapes. These parts often degrade, forcing replacements that add cost and waste.

The result? Solutions that look effective on the surface but fail under real-world conditions.

Homogeneous Performance with ProShieldESD

ProShieldESD is engineered to deliver truly homogeneous dissipative performance across a wide range of substrates—including plastics, foams, packaging, and floors.

By focusing on homogeneous ESD protection rather than particle-filled or moulded solutions, ProShieldESD addresses the root cause of inconsistent static control — variation across real-world surfaces.

Unlike filler-based paints or moulded boxes, it provides:

✔ Uniform static protection with no weak spots
✔ Permanent conductivity that doesn’t degrade over time
✔ No contamination risks from fillers or additives
✔ Flexible use across substrates—beyond the limits of mouldings
✔ Lower lifetime cost through reduced replacement and rework

Consistency = Reliability

In industries where reliability is non-negotiable, homogeneous performance isn’t just a feature—it’s a requirement. By delivering uniform, permanent ESD protection, ProShieldESD helps ensure every surface, every time, performs as intended.

Conclusion: The Future Is Consistent

Effective static control depends on homogeneous ESD protection that performs consistently across every surface, not just under ideal conditions. With ProShieldESD, businesses can eliminate the risks of patchy coatings and limited moulded solutions—achieving permanent, reliable protection that scales across real-world applications.

Learn more: ProShieldESD Coating Platform – Permanent ESD Control

Or visit: ProShieldESD website

SCH Services Ltd Nominated for the Productronica Innovation Award 2025!

October 15, 2025 ProShieldESD

We’re thrilled to announce that SCH Services Ltd has been officially nominated for the Productronica Innovation Award 2025 — recognising our cutting-edge ProShieldESD Coating System, a breakthrough solution redefining static protection across the electronics manufacturing industry.

A Milestone in Innovation

Productronica, the world’s leading trade fair for electronics development and production, celebrates companies driving technological progress and practical innovation.

This nomination places ProShield ESD among the most forward-thinking advancements in electronics manufacturing for 2025.

Developed by the SCH Technologies Group, ProShield ESD represents a new generation of conductive coatings that protect sensitive components and assemblies from electrostatic discharge (ESD).

Unlike traditional paints or surface coatings, ProShield ESD provides uniform conductivity, durable adhesion, and exceptional environmental performance, making it ideal for use on enclosures, racks, jigs, fixtures, and even complete production environments.

About ProShield ESD

The ProShield ESD system combines:

Advanced polymer chemistry for consistent static-dissipative performance
Low-VOC formulation aligned with sustainability goals
Excellent adhesion to a wide range of substrates including plastics and metals
Custom colour and resistivity options to meet specific OEM and cleanroom requirements

This balance of technical precision, environmental awareness, and production efficiency has set ProShield ESD apart as a standout innovation in the global electronics manufacturing sector.

Recognition from Productronica

The Productronica Innovation Awards highlight technologies that push boundaries and shape the future of the electronics industry.
Being shortlisted for this award acknowledges the hard work and creativity of our entire SCH team — from our UK and India divisions to our global distribution partners who have helped bring this product to market.

Looking Ahead to Productronica 2025

The award winners will be announced at Productronica 2025 in Munich, where SCH Services Ltd will showcase ProShield ESD, Parylene Coating Solutions, and our full range of ESD-safe masking and coating innovations.

We look forward to meeting customers, partners, and industry peers at the exhibition — and to celebrating the spirit of innovation that drives our sector forward.

Visit Us at Productronica 2025

Hall A4/Stand Number 145
November 18-21 November 2025 | Munich, Germany
Learn more at: http://www.proshieldesd.com and SCH Services Ltd
Contact us: sales@schservices.com

Why Fillers and Moldings Fail: The Case for ProShieldESD Filler-Free Dissipative Coating

October 14, 2025 ProShieldESD

For decades, industries have relied on carbon-filled paints, metal-loaded coatings and moulded ESD plastics to manage electrostatic discharge (ESD). These legacy approaches depend on conductive fillers—such as carbon black, graphite or metal powders—to create a discharge path. At first glance they appear effective, but in real use they often create inconsistency, wear-related drift and contamination risk. That’s why the ProShieldESD filler-free ESD coating platform is changing how static control is specified.

Modern electronics, medical devices and aerospace systems need ESD protection that stays stable over time, across humidity swings, and under cleaning and abrasion. Traditional filler-based coatings and moulded carbon boxes struggle to deliver truly uniform performance at scale.

The problem with carbon and metal fillers and moulded ESD plastics

1) Inconsistent conductivity

Fillers rarely disperse perfectly in a coating, and moulded parts can show variation through the material. The result is patchy resistivity and “weak spots” where charge can build and discharge unpredictably.

2) Performance degradation over time

In coatings, fillers can migrate, clump or wear away at the surface. In moulded parts, conductivity can reduce as surfaces abrade and contamination builds. What starts as protection often becomes unreliable—driving recoating, replacement and revalidation.

3) Risk of contamination

Carbon and metal particulates can shed from surfaces or transfer during handling. In sensitive environments—electronics, clean manufacturing, medical—this creates a genuine quality and compliance concern.

4) Poor substrate flexibility

Many filler-based paints struggle on plastics, foams and packaging, while moulded solutions are limited to fixed shapes and specific polymers. That reduces flexibility and increases the number of special parts you need to buy and control.

5) High lifecycle cost

When you include rework, downtime, inspection checks, replacement parts and repeat purchases, “low-cost” legacy solutions often become expensive to maintain.

The smarter alternative: ProShieldESD filler-free ESD coating

ProShieldESD filler-free ESD coating achieves stable, homogeneous ESD performance without carbon or metal fillers. It’s designed to deliver consistent conductivity or dissipation across a wide range of substrates.

✔️ Permanent protection — reduced dependency on reapplication and replacement cycles
✔️ Uniform performance — minimises weak spots caused by filler clustering
✔️ Cleaner process — avoids loose conductive particulates that can contaminate sensitive areas
✔️ Broad compatibility — suitable for plastics, foams, packaging, fixtures and floors
✔️ Lower lifecycle cost — fewer replacements, less downtime and simpler control

The future of static control

As industries demand higher reliability, flexibility and sustainability, filler-based paints and moulded ESD products increasingly show their limits. A platform approach—built for repeatability and long-term stability—offers a cleaner, more scalable path.

Learn more: Explore the ProShieldESD coating platform or visit proshieldesd.com.

How Adhesion Promoters Work: Getting Reliable Bonds with the Right Promoter

October 13, 2025 Parylene

Adhesion is one of the most critical factors in achieving reliable coating performance. Even the most advanced coating—such as Parylene—can fail if it doesn’t bond strongly to the underlying surface. That’s where Parylene adhesion promoters (often called primers) come in.

At SCH Services Ltd, we supply and use Parylene adhesion promoters as part of our day-to-day coating work. Selecting the right promoter (and applying it correctly) helps deliver strong, repeatable adhesion and long-term reliability.

Diagram showing how a Parylene adhesion promoter improves bonding between the substrate and Parylene coating — Illustration showing how adhesion promoters enhance Parylene coating adhesion to challenging substrates.

Why Parylene Adhesion Promoters Are Needed

Parylene is deposited as a vapour and forms an ultra-uniform film, but adhesion is highly dependent on surface chemistry and cleanliness. Certain substrates—such as smooth metals, ceramics, glass, and many plastics—can be naturally difficult for Parylene to bond to without additional surface preparation.

Without appropriate preparation and, where required, an adhesion promoter, coatings may:

Lift, peel, or delaminate over time
Fail adhesion testing (for example, cross-hatch testing such as ISO 2409 where applicable)
Compromise moisture, corrosion, or chemical protection

How Parylene Adhesion Promoters Work

Parylene adhesion promoters typically work by creating a chemical “bridge” between the substrate and the Parylene polymer. In practice, they:

Chemically bond to the substrate surface (after correct cleaning/activation)
Present a compatible functional layer that Parylene can anchor to during deposition
Reduce the risk of delamination, especially under thermal cycling, humidity, or chemical exposure

Different Substrates Need Different Approaches

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for Parylene adhesion. The correct approach depends on the substrate type, the contamination risk, and the service environment.

In Parylene processes, adhesion performance is typically driven by a combination of:

Cleaning (removal of oils, flux residues, silicones, and particulates)
Surface activation (often plasma treatment where appropriate)
Adhesion promoter selection matched to the substrate and reliability requirement

Common substrate categories where Parylene adhesion planning matters most include:

Metals (surface oxides, smooth finishes, and corrosion considerations)
Plastics (especially low surface energy polymers)
Ceramics & glass (non-porous surfaces)
PCB materials (solder masks, exposed copper, and mixed-material assemblies)

A quick note on liquid conformal coatings

For acrylic, urethane, and silicone conformal coatings, adhesion is often managed through process control and surface preparation, and in some cases the use of a primer where the substrate demands it. However, the term “adhesion promoter” is most commonly used in industry when discussing Parylene deposition.

SCH Services Ltd: Practical Parylene Adhesion Support

If you’re seeing adhesion concerns—or you’re qualifying Parylene for a new substrate—SCH can support with promoter selection guidance, surface preparation advice, and production-proven processes based on real coating experience.

Learn more: Discover our full range of Parylene coating solutions, or explore the Coating Defects Hub if you’re investigating adhesion or reliability issues.

If you’d like technical guidance on Parylene adhesion, surface preparation, or promoter selection, contact our team via the contact page.

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