Contamination control. Operator safety. Issues with ink adhesion. The aforementioned are all common issues in a flexible packaging environment that static control equipment can help manage – factors which all directly contribute to a company’s bottom line. While static-neutralizing equipment may be one of the more niche components involved in packaging, it’s still of great importance to creating a successful end product. On that note, here’s a look at some of the latest innovations and extensions in this equipment segment to hit the market:

Ancillary Tech for Web Cleaning

“Web cleaning systems need to achieve two main actions for successful cleaning: the boundary layer of air on the web must be broken, allowing contamination trapped under and within it to be removed, and the static charge on the web must be eliminated so that contamination can be isolated,” says Matt Fyffe, sales director at Meech International. “Only a system capable of achieving both these actions will result in a spotless web.”

Noting this, it’s easy to see the relationship between static control and web cleaning, a relationship that has led Meech to develop products accordingly. Specifically, the company’s CyClean, TakClean, VacClean and ShearClean make up its web cleaning portfolio. Here’s a brief look at each system:

• CyClean: A non-contact, double-sided blow and vacuum-based system that flows contaminants into an inline filter unit. Cleans webs up to 2.5 meters in width and can remove 0.5 micron contaminants. Consists of cleaning head, 4x active static control AC bars and an air handling unit.
• TakClean: Can remove particles as little as 0.5 microns. Works on web widths up to 2.1 meters at speeds up to 250 meters per minute. Features elastomer contact cleaning rollers and perforated adhesive rolls, which work to lift contamination from the web surface.
• VacClean: Contact cleaning system that removes particles 2 microns or less from double-sided webs up to 4 meters in width.
• ShearClean: Non-contact system for web widths up to 2.1 meters and speeds up to 600 meters per minute.

Simco-Ion Updates IQ Power Control Station

Simco-Ion’s updated IQ Power Control Station now incorporates the latest in ionization technology and a 10-inch, full-color touch screen designed with an intuitive user-friendly interface to help monitor and control static-neutralizing systems globally or by device. It is capable of monitoring up to 10 neutralizing or sensing devices through 10 RJ45 connections and/or through six newly added robust M12 connectors.

Additionally, the Power Control Station is equipped with a standby mode for disabling the neutralizer’s high voltage during equipment maintenance or inactivity. Standby mode can be enabled globally through the station port or by individual device via PLC. It also features Fieldbus Interface capability, providing network compatibility for a variety of communication protocols.

Ultra-Intelligent Static Control

TAKK calls its NEOS technology an evolution in static controls that’s designed to provide ultra-high performance for the most demanding static elimination applications. As one of its latest innovations, the company’s NEOS Series Bars use reactive intelligence to frequently sample the electrostatic field of a static-charged surface and then increase the supply of static-neutralizing ions of the opposite polarity until the charge is neutralized. The bars work at distances of up to 7 feet and speeds of up to 6,000 feet per minute.

The NEOS technology also provides process security for static-critical applications by monitoring the bar’s operational status and indicating whether it needs cleaning or other maintenance. The bars are powered by 24 volts DC, and all ionizing and sensing electronics are enclosed within the bar.