About Static

Static Generation
In industrial applications static electricity is most commonly generated through friction between two surfaces, for example web travelling over a roller or running through slitters. This friction results in the movement of electrons between the contacting surfaces which in turn generates a residual electrostatic field on the separated surfaces.

The strength of this field is determined by a number of factors, including the material, process speed and humidity. Polymers such as polythene or polypropylene for example are more likely to generate static through friction than organic compounds such as wood or paper.

Effects of Static
Static fields can cause problems in a variety of industries through the different properties of the charged surface.
For example;

Attraction
> Airborne dirt and contaminants attracted to a web
> Lightweight sheets or labels sticking together causing mis-feed

Repulsion
> Inks repelled from a web during printing

Discharge
> Operator electric shock from large static build up
> Damage to delicate electronics (e.g. SMT industry)

Static Control
MicroClean Technologies offer a range of static control products which create a field of both positively and negatively charged ions that neutralise electrically charged materials that pass through it, therefore reducing or removing any unwanted static build up. This in turn decreases downtime and delivers an overall yield improvement.