What is static?
Material such as paper, plastic and textiles normally contain an equal number of positive and negative charges – that is, they are electrically balanced. Friction can disturb this balance, causing the material to become electrically charged.
The electrical charge (static) will exert a force on nearby charged objects or a grounded conductor. Among the problems caused by this force are:
- Dust clinging to product
- Product clinging to itself, rollers, machine beds or frames
- Materials tearing, jamming or curling
- Sheet feeding problems
- Hazardous sparks or shocks
Charged conductors (like metals) discharge completely when grounded. Insulators (like plastics) don't conduct electricity and can't discharge when grounded. Grounded brushes or tinsel often have little effect on these surfaces.
When aiming EXAIR's Model 7905 Static Meter at a single plastic surface, it is common to measure many voltages across the same surface. The higher the voltage measured, the stronger the static charge or force at that point. It is also possible for some voltages to have opposite polarities (positive or negative) which determines if two insulators will attract or repel one another.
EXAIR's static eliminators (called ionisers) can eliminate the charge. These shockless ionisers are electrically powered and produce a bulk of positive and negative ions. The charged surface attracts the appropriate number of positive or negative ions from the ioniser to become neutral (discharge).
Selecting the right static eliminator
EXAIR offers systems for total static control. When static is a problem on moving webs, sheet stock, three dimensional parts, extrusions or packaging, EXAIR has a solution.
Static eliminators with air
Combining our engineered airflow products with ionisers gives us the ability to eliminate the charge quickly and at great distances. Laminar flow airstreams produced make it possible to blow away any contaminants and the charge that attracts them. They are ideal for:
- Hard to reach places or obstructed surfaces
- Product moving at high speeds
- Surfaces with an extremely high charge
Compressed air consumption and noise are minimised while providing force that can be adjusted from a "blast" to a "breeze". Tests show these ionisers positioned two feet (610mm) away from a charged surface to be as effective as an Ionising Bar without air delivery positioned one-half inch (13mm) from the surface.
The Super Ion Air Knife provides the best performance of all ionisers. It uses our Super Air Knife (40:1 air amplification) to deliver a uniform sheet of ionised air effective up to 20 feet (6096mm) away.
The Standard Ion Air Knife uses our Standard Air Knife (30:1 air amplification) to deliver a sheet of ionised air to the surface. Air consumption and noise are somewhat higher than the Super Ion Air Knife.
The Ion Air Cannon uses our Super Air Amplifier (22:1 air amplification) to provide a focused, conical airstream that is capable of removing the charge up to 15 feet (4572mm) away.
The Ion Air Gun uses our High Velocity Air Jet (5:1 air amplification) to provide a narrow beam of ionised airflow. This hand-held static eliminator is rugged for industrial use and has incredibly fast static decay rates.
The Ion Air Jet is an effective spot cleaner. Available for permanent mount or with flexible Stay Set Hose, this ioniser is the ideal way to focus an ionised airflow at confined areas.
Static eliminators without air
In some situations, even the smallest amount of airflow can disturb the product. This is especially true for lightweight materials. EXAIR manufactures two styles of ioniser for these critical applications.
Ionising Bars are ideal for relatively flat materials, where the bar can be mounted within a few inches of the product surface.
The Ionising Point is effective for spot neutralisation. The compact size makes it ideal for winding or slitting operations. It can also be mounted through a duct to neutralise static charges due to moving air or materials.
Application checklist
To keep pieces of chocolate from sticking to the mold, a candy company uses the 30" (762mm) Super Ion Air Knife Kit to eliminate the static cling and gently blow the remaining chocolate pieces from the mold before it is reheated.
A manufacturer of kitchen cabinets uses the 42" (1067mm) Super Ion Air Knife to blow off saw dust prior to applying the surface finish.
A packaging company had a 9% scrap rate when using brushes and squeegees to apply adhesive labels. Scrap was completely eliminated when the machanical applicators were replaced with a 6" (152mm) Super Ion Air Knife, using airflow to push the label onto the plastic container.
A manufacturer of plastic bags installed a 12" (305mm) Super Ion Air Knife to eliminate the static charge that caused bags to jam up on the forming machine.
An electrical components manufacturer uses the Ion Air Jet System to break polystyrene pieces loose from a mold when it opens. Previously, the charge was so great an ordinary air gun could not blast them from the surface of the mould.
To prevent static shocks to their personnel, a manufacturer of wood veneers installed an Ion Air Cannon System to neutralise the charge on the surface of the veneer.
A manufacturer of hose and tube couplings cut their rework labour time by 1/3, using an Ion Air Gun to blow particulate from plastic couplings that were missed by manual wiping.
A manufacturer of guitars uses the Ion Air Gun System to remove static and dust from pick guards prior to assembly.
A photography studio uses the Ion Air Gun to blow dust from negatives prior to processing prints.
Available from Compressed Air Australia, the Long Super Ion Air Knife is highly efficient and adjustable. It will operate effectively down to 5 PSIG and use a minimal amount of compressed air to entrain high volumes of surrounding room air.
The shockless design is UL Component Recognised to US and Canadian safety standards. There are no moving parts to wear out. A factory installed plumbing kit is also available that makes it easy to connect Long Super Ion Air Knives to any plant's compressed air system and obtain the best performance.
For more information on Static Elimintaors please call or use the IndustrySearch email for a direct reply.
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To contact Compressed Air Australia about EXAIR Static Eliminators use Get a quote.
