Digital printing is on the rise across various industries, but static electricity can pose serious challenges, leading to printing defects, dust attraction, and even machine stoppages. These issues result in increased costs and reduced competitiveness.
Manufacturers printing on flat surfaces such as paper, cardboard, wooden flooring, and especially plastic sheets often struggle with high static charges in their production lines. Identifying and controlling static is crucial to ensuring smooth, high-quality printing.
Identifying and Neutralising Static
To tackle static issues, precise measurements are taken using tools like an FMX field meter or inline static measurement systems. These help pinpoint where static is generated and where neutralisation is needed.
Common problem areas and solutions include:
- De-stacking: Sheets sticking together due to static can be resolved by blowing ionised air between them using flat ionising air nozzles or air knives with an antistatic bar. This ensures only one neutral sheet enters the line.
- Transportation: Cleaning the sheet with ionised air or using a rotating brush combined with an industrial static eliminator removes unwanted static charges.
- Post-Corona Treatment: Plastic sheets that undergo corona treatment need further discharge to ensure they move forward without residual static.
Ensuring Consistent Print Quality
As sheets enter the digital printing stage, maintaining a low static level is critical. This helps achieve sharp, high-quality prints while keeping print heads clean, extending production runs.
The Simco IQ Manager System offers a real-time solution, monitoring and managing static control devices through a Closed Loop Feedback System (CLFB). By connecting directly to the machine’s PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), it enables:
- In-line static measurement and data logging for quality reporting
- Real-time monitoring of static charge levels
- Alerts and maintenance notifications for improved efficiency
- Enhanced safety, process control, and overall print quality
Conclusion
By effectively managing static electricity, manufacturers can reduce downtime, maintain cleaner print heads, and achieve consistent, high-quality digital printing.
Want to learn more about static control in digital printing? Follow this link for more information.