Eliminating static

March 2005 Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration

Material such as paper, plastic or 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) do not conduct electricity and cannot 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 (discharged).

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