Replacing an incumbent EMI gasket, board-level shield or absorber comes down to one question: does the equivalent match the specification, not just the shape or the trade name? This guide explains how a proper EMI cross-reference works, what information to send, and how the major competitor product families map to their 3G equivalents — so you can second-source without reopening an EMC test campaign.
Two gaskets that look identical can perform very differently. A conductive elastomer is defined by its filler system and base polymer; a knitted-wire gasket by its wire alloy, plating and construction; an absorber by its loss mechanism and the frequency of peak attenuation. A cross-reference that matches only the cross-section or the catalog photo is a guess. A cross-reference that matches the specification — filler, durometer, MIL-DTL-83528 type, profile, shielding-effectiveness target and galvanic fit — is a part you can qualify.
Use this index to find the right 3G family for a competitor part, then send the part number for an exact, engineer-verified match.
| Product family | Common competitor lines | 3G Shielding equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Conductive elastomer gaskets | Chomerics CHO-SEAL / Tecknit CONSIL; Laird ECE / ELECTROSEAL; Tech-Etch Supershield; MAJR 5000-series | WaveSeal Conductive Elastomer |
| Form-in-place (FIP) | Chomerics CHO-FORM; Laird & MAJR FIP | WaveSeal Form-In-Place |
| Fabric-over-foam | Chomerics SOFT-SHIELD; Tech-Etch 2400/2600; MAJR 1400; Laird FoF | WaveSeal Fabric-Over-Foam |
| Knitted & oriented wire | Tech-Etch Series 2000/4000; MAJR 1500 / Multicon; wire-in-elastomer strip | WaveSeal Knitted Wire, Wire-Oriented & Elastomer-Core |
| Beryllium-copper fingerstock | Tech-Etch fingerstock (Omni / SPIDER); MAJR 5200; Chomerics fingerstock | WaveSeal wire-based contact strip (contact-force reviewed per application) |
| Conductive fabric & tape | Metalized EMI textiles; MAJR 2800 tape | WaveSeal Conductive Fabric |
| Board-level shields | Chomerics / Laird / Tech-Etch SlimShield / MAJR 5300 | 3G MetalworX (QUBE, FLEX, SWIPE, PIC-it, MULTIZONE, HYBRID, Machined) |
| RF / microwave absorbers | Laird Eccosorb; MAJRabsorber | Wavexorb (Cavity Resonance, Narrowband, Surface Wave, Low-Frequency, Broadband Foam) |
| Thermal interface materials | Chomerics THERM-A-GAP; MAJR 6000-series | Thermaworx Gap Pads & Sil-Pads |
| Gore gasket replacement | Gore GS2100 / GS5200 / GS8000 (discontinued) | WaveSeal Gore Replacement range |
For a detailed line-by-line table and the buying advantages of switching, see the dedicated pages:
Most failed cross-references trace back to a handful of missed details. On conductive elastomers, the filler system drives both shielding effectiveness and galvanic behavior — a silver-bearing filler against a bare-aluminum flange in a humid or salt-fog environment invites corrosion, which is why nickel-graphite is the common choice on aluminum. On absorbers, matching thickness without matching the loss mechanism (magnetic versus dielectric) and the frequency of peak attenuation misses the target entirely. On fingerstock, contact force and deflection matter more than the look of the part. A specification-level cross-reference checks each of these before a sample ships.
Send the competitor part number, drawing or datasheet to our US-based engineering team. We return a matched 3G equivalent — usually the same business day — with the material spec, profile and performance notes, at no charge. Standard-material evaluation samples typically ship within 48 hours, free of charge, so you can validate the match on your own bench before you change the bill of materials. Certificates of conformance and material traceability support your qualification package.
Send the competitor part number, drawing or datasheet to a manufacturer’s engineering team and ask them to match it by specification — filler system, durometer, profile, MIL-DTL-83528 type and shielding-effectiveness target — not just by trade name. 3G returns a matched equivalent, usually the same business day, at no charge.
At minimum, the competitor part number and, ideally, the drawing or datasheet. Useful extras: the base polymer and filler, durometer, profile/cross-section, the flange material and finish, the operating frequency band and shielding-effectiveness target, and the environment (temperature, humidity, salt fog). The more of these you provide, the tighter the match.
A properly matched equivalent is chosen specifically to avoid a requalification surprise — same filler system, MIL-DTL-83528 type, profile and shielding-effectiveness target, verified against galvanic compatibility with your flange. Your own quality system determines whether re-test is required; 3G supplies certificates of conformance, material traceability and test data to support the package.
At 3G, yes. Cross-referencing a competitor part number to a 3G equivalent is a no-charge engineering service, and standard-material evaluation samples typically ship within 48 hours free of charge so you can validate the match on your own bench.
Send us the competitor part number — our US engineering team returns a matched equivalent, usually the same business day.
Get a Cross-Reference QuoteValidate the equivalent on your own bench before you commit.
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