STATIC CONTROL & WEB CLEANING | MACHINERY
Film manufacturers must control the harmful effects of static electricity and can do this with equipment including corona treaters and specialist air nozzles that treat the film surface
Electric effect: static control
Static electricity can cause problems – especially in film production – but can also be hazardous within a factory environment. Controlling static is there- fore a key requirement for film extruders. US-based film and bag manufacturer A-Pac has installed two Vetaphone corona treaters at its production facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The equipment helps improve surface treatment quality and replace American-made treaters on two of its three blown-film extrusion lines. A-Pac makes a wide range of poly bags includ-
ing flat, wicketed, gusseted, side-weld, bottom- seal, staple-pack, and custom print as well – as poly bags on the roll. It also offers three types of plastic film and tubing. The company first installed surface treatment equipment when it switched from solvent- to water-based production. “We installed our first corona treater in 2018 and the second in 2020,” said Tim Takken, plant manager at the facility. The Vetaphone treaters are both C models, designed to provide a high dyne level on any extruded material. A special design and the use of
www.filmandsheet.com
efficient generators delivers precise, consistent power requirements. An advanced electrode design eliminates fluctuations in dyne levels across the web width and guarantees no undesirable treatment to the reverse side. They also feature a ‘quick-change’ system that allows the operator to carry out segment set-up and maintenance in minutes. A computerised iCorona generator is at the
heart of the process, offering a wide regulation band that combines high efficiency with minimal energy loss. Power regulation uses pulse width modulation (PWM). Built with a resonant feedback system, iCorona generators automatically match electrical power to the material, ensuring optimal surface treatment and efficiency, it says. A-Pac treats only part of the web – 8in diameter on one line and 4in on the other – though Takken says they sometimes go down as small as 2in. “We’re in a niche market so flexibility and control
are vital, especially as we supply both the medical and food sectors – where we are obliged to conform to ISO 2001:2015, FSSC 22000, USDA and FDA standards,” he said.
Main image: Vetaphone corona units provide surface treatment to A-Pac, says plant manager Tim Takken
� December 2023 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 27
IMAGE: VETAPHONE
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
