We can see several ways in which the effects of particles might
be reduced. One approach would be to use an extrusion method
that orients the particles preferentially in a benign direction. The
“conical extruder,” which has the advantage of eliminating the
knit line, may also tend to orient particles with the polymer flow,
which is parallel to the conductor. In this orientation, charge
injection would be much less of a concern, and a cavity at a particle
tip created by thermal expansion would be subject to much
less stress enhancement from the adjacent particle. Thus, such
an approach to manufacturing has the potential to improve tolerance
to particulate contamination, which can only improve reliability.