Why Choose a GORE^® Acoustic Vent?

Also discover our latest Design Guide for GORE^® Acoustic Vents

Selecting the right acoustic vent for an electronic device requires a balance between the level of protection the vent supplies, and what the vent contributes to the overall sound performance of the acoustic system.

Whether you choose a standard or custom venting solution, we can help you achieve the optimal balance of acoustic transparency and environmental protection.

Exceptional Sound Quality with the GAW300 Series of GORE^® Acoustic Vents for Immersion Protection 

GORE Acoustic Vents for immersion applications are engineered from expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), a materials technology with a unique structure that optimizes vent performance and device reliability.

ePTFE Structure

The ePTFE structure consists of nodes, fibrils and pores. This structure facilitates the transmission of air and sound, while effectively repelling water, other fluids and particulates.

Acoustic Transparency

For acoustic applications, we have engineered a special ePTFE membrane that is thin and low-mass for optimal transmission of sound. It vibrates easily and quickly in response to sound waves converting their airborne energy to mechanical vibrations. These vibrations are reproduced on the other side of the membrane to create high-quality acoustics.

The optimal transmission properties of ePTFE also enable the vent structure to rapidly equalize pressure changes, protecting sensitive electronics against condensation and minimizing stress on device seals.

Environmental Protection

Immersion Protection: Although ePTFE membrane is thin, its unique structure is engineered to repel water effectively and protect devices against immersion up to IP68 standards.

Fluid Resistance: Gore has developed oleophobic venting materials that effectively repel oils, sweat, cleaning solutions and other common fluids that can threaten ordinary vent materials and device reliability.

Exceptional Protection with GORE^® Acoustic Vents For Dust and Splash Applications

GORE^® Acoustic Vents for dust and splash protection are designed from non-woven structures. Unlike woven materials, Gore’s non-woven materials are engineered specifically for protecting portable electronics. These products deliver the best dust and splash protection on the market at their given acoustic level.

Small Particle Protection

Gore’s non-woven vent structures use a complex, three-dimensional microstructure that creates a tortuous path to trap even small particles with much greater efficiency than ordinary woven mesh vents. While woven vents provide only a single layer of protection for a defined pore size, the complex structure of Gore’s non-woven material creates a more effective barrier to particles of varied sizes.

Water Spray Protection

The three-dimensional structure of Gore’s non-woven material, combined with its torturous path construction, provides a higher level of spray protection for a given acoustic performance. The IPx4 test standard for spray protection typically requires a high- performance vent as well as a housing designed to divert water and help block spray. Gore has developed a spray test to simulate a single nozzle from an IPx4 test to help customers understand a venting material’s efficiency at preventing water ingress independent of housing design.

Oleophobic Protection

As with our ePTFE structures, oleophobic materials developed by Gore are also available in our non-woven structures. These materials are extremely effective at resisting a range of common fluids (from perspiration and oils to cleaning solutions) that could degrade ordinary vent materials and device reliability.