Static Control & Web Cleaning Q&A with Meech Hyperion 971IPS
principles to deliver higher levels of cleanliness for applications such as labelling. As the system performance is not affected by the contamination level and no consumables are required, ongoing costs are minimised. While a web cleaner provides a solution for
We talk to Iain Cameron, marketing director at Meech, about the challenges that today’s converters face and how to mitigate the effects of static
WHAT EFFECT DOES STATIC HAVE ON THE PRODUCTION LINE? Static and high-speed webs go hand-in-hand, and when you add in the range of substrates now available, there are a variety of potential production problems that need to be considered. Today’s fast-paced production lines run a series of lightweight substrates, such as PET, PVC and Mylar – these are especially vulnerable to static generation, and it is important to understand why this phenomenon happens. Static generation occurs when an external
force causes an electrical charge to move from one material to another, leaving one positively charged and the other negatively charged. The size of the charge is determined by the force of the friction, speed, pressure and separation – increased force and faster processes will ultimately lead to larger charges being generated. If one of the materials is conductive, it will not hold the charge, but if the material is non-conductive, the charge is unable to move across the surface, creating a static ‘pool’ of electrical charges. If static generation is not controlled or
deterred, finished products may appear distorted, for example, printed products may be out of register or extruded films may have tiny holes. Static charges can also cause blockages in machinery, with dust attraction arguably being
22 March 2018
the biggest issue in a sector demanding high levels of quality control. A company cannot guarantee a fast service if they have to keep interrupting production flow to clean machines, or if at the inspection stage, products are continually rejected. This matters even more if the end use for the web material is perhaps medical or for a clean environment.
WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF WEB CLEANING AND STATIC CONTROL SOLUTIONS FOR CONVERTERS? Product cleanliness is of the upmost concern to manufacturers, as tainted webs can affect end product quality and result in unnecessary wastage and cost. Investing in a web cleaner is a cost-effective way to increase quality while also reducing waste. Web cleaners come in two different forms:
contact and non-contact. A contact roll-on-roll device, like Meech’s TakClean, is designed for narrower, slower printing lines. It has elastomer contact cleaning rollers and perforated adhesive rolls that physically pick up and remove contamination from the web surface. Meech’s CyClean, a compact, high
performance system, is a good example of a non-contact web cleaner capable of dealing with the varying degrees of dust and particles present on production lines. It incorporates fluid dynamic
www.convertermag.co.uk
the removal of contamination on the surface, there is also a need to eliminate the presence of static on the web, as it may re-attract dust to the surface. Active static control uses ionisation technology, employing high voltage AC or ‘Pulsed’ DC to produce ionised air to neutralise surface charges. Static control bars such as Meech’s Hyperion range, have marked a transition from AC systems to 24v integrated power supplies, providing more eficient ionisation. Long range ionising systems achieve highly eficient static control in general applications, whereas for short to medium range applications (with target distances varying between two to 20-inches), plug and play bars are better suited. Hyperion bars are more resilient to contamination buildup than rival systems and allow for easier cleaning, while their improved shockless design also makes them safer for operators to handle. The elimination of static should be a fundamental part of quality control measures in the converting industry. Cleanliness is a critical issue in a wide number of sectors – especially food, medical and pharmaceutical. Customer demands are driving standards ever higher, and manufacturers who fail to meet these standards risk losing out to forward-thinking competitors.
HOW DOES MEECH WORK WITH ITS CUSTOMERS TO ENSURE THEY ARE CONTINUALLY SATISFIED? A big part of Meech’s ethos is to understand its customers’ requirements and provide comprehensive global service and support. This is done through a worldwide network of distributors that provide local, on-the-spot solutions at any time of day. Furthermore, we work closely with both end users and distributors whenever it decides to update our equipment or launch new products. For instance, the design of the CyClean system came to fruition after conducting extensive research into the market and recognising customer demands. With a long heritage in static control and web- cleaning, Meech offer real solutions to benefit companies across the sector and advises them on the issues static and contamination can pose if left untreated. www.
meech.com
CyClean web cleaner
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