Co.'s new four-outlet power supply features four 5kV output connectors that can energize up to four static eliminators, including ion air guns, ion air knives, ion air cannons or ion air jets. Static eliminators that have a bayonet-style connector can be inserted into the power supply and the electrical connection is made deep inside to prevent shock hazard. The output current is limited to 5mA, while a unique short circuit protection takes the voltage output to zero should a short occur in the static eliminator. EXAIR CORP., 800/903-9247, fax: 513/671-3363, www.exair.com

The dry, cold air of winter in Minnesota wreaked havoc on OlymPak Printing & Packaging's operations. Production manager Grey Julien describes seasonal static electricity problems he faced during colder months in OlymPak's 200,000-sq-ft plant in Mora, MN, as “brutal”.

OlymPak prints with conventional and UV offset presses on paperboard, plastic, vinyl and lenticular-lens materials.

Heating cold outside air caused low relative humidity, which led to static problems—sheets clung together, slowing and stopping presses. Sheets also “haystacked” in the jogger, making it difficult to get a uniform edge. Plastic and vinyl jobs on UV presses caused the worst problems.

“Plastics and vinyls develop static quickly in low RH,” Julien says. To alleviate issues with static, OlymPak installed a high-pressure ML system from Husson, Inc. (www.hussoninc.com). The company put in six ML Princess 3 high-demand humidifiers in the plant and two ML Solo low-demand units in prepress.

Within days, static problems disappeared. “Now our presses run faster, with no clinging or jamming, and haystacking is a thing of the past,” he says.

OLYMPAK PRINTING & PKG., 800/967-1705, fax: 763/504-5401, www.olympak.com

HUSSON, 262/884-4669, fax 262/884-4670, www.hussoninc.com

The Chargemaster® CM 30 and CM 60 electrostatic charging systems, for various converting applications, supply high voltage to charging bars. For plastic-bag manufacturing, the CM units electrostatically pin-trail the leading edges of the film to prevent lifting and keep the bags moving smoothly along the conveyor line. For roll-to-roll changeover, they can apply a temporary charge to adhere the film edge to the core without the use of tapes or adhesives. SIMCO INDUSTRIAL STATIC CONTROL, 215/822-6401, www.simco-static.com

The WWCMR contact web cleaner is designed for wide-web applications, with web widths ranging from 40 to 82 in. With its multi-roll system, handling weights are kept to a minimum to provide an ergonomic environment. It handles web speeds up to 1,640 fpm and features double- or single-sided cleaning, twin adhesive rolls with side pull access and built-in anti-static equipment. To accommodate high-contamination environments, the WWCMR can be equipped with a vacuum pre-cleaner to reduce adhesive change and handling costs.

AB KELVA, 46/46-16-0700, fax: 46/46-30-4913, www.kelva.com

The HL-Type Virtual AC™ Static Neutralizer is engineered to provide long-range static neutralization for coating operations, where flammable vapors could potentially cause fires when exposed to electrostatic discharge. It also comes with a new fieldbus interface capability that makes possible full integration of the static neutralizers into an existing process-control system over an industrial network. A solid-state power supply and controller constantly monitor the performance of the static bars.

MKS, ION INDUSTRIAL, 888/310-3334, fax: 860/292-6807, www.ion.com/industrial

Co.'s web-cleaning systems are designed to remove contaminants, such as slitting dust and converting debris, from web or sheet substrates or process rolls. Polymag® Web and Sheet Cleaners were developed around the contact cleaning roll—an idler roll covered with a polymer that transfers loose surface contamination from the substrate to the cleaning roll.

POLYMAG TEK INC., 800/787-0830, fax: 585/235-8395, www.polymagtek.com

The 990v2 generates static to create a temporary bond between materials, one of which must be insulative. It combats problems in film processing such as web wandering, shrinkage during cooling, edge curl, air pockets and wrinkle formation. Applications for the 990v2 include pinning plastic film; bonding materials during the lamination of foils, film and paper; and holding objects during in-mold labeling.

MEECH STATIC ELIMINATORS USA, INC., 800/232-4210, fax: 330/564-2005, www.meech.com

Co. receives another patent for its web and parts cleaning systems. The new face plate designs covered by this patent allow the web cleaners to handle extremely thin materials such as tissue paper and thin plastic film at very slow to very high line speeds. Also, webs with low to high tension can be cleaned without damage to the web, co. says. The web cleaners are available for any web width and include active static-control equipment.

ELECTROSTATICS, INC., 215/513-0850, fax: 215/513-0855, www.electrostatics.com