Static electricity creating problems in digital inkjet printing
Digital printing is becoming popular in more and more markets nowadays. However static electricity can create a lot of problems like (printing) errors. Problems that can occur are dust attraction, bad (un-sharp, blurry) printing results or dirty printing heads (so short production runs). Even machine stops can be caused; all resulting in more expenses, so non-competitive printing.
Manufacturers who (single pass) digital-print flat surfaces like paper, cardboard, wooden floorings and especially plastic sheets can experience multiple problems in their printing sections caused by high static charges. To solve this issue, different static measurements are made to learn exactly where the static is generated and where to neutralize, using a FMX field meter or inline static measurement.
During de-stacking, the single sheet wants to stick to the pile because of static: blowing ionised air between the sheets with (flat-) ionizing air-nozzles or air-knives with antistatic bar will solve this problem so only a single static neutral sheet will enter the line. During transportation, the sheet is cleaned by ionised air, using the Typhoon system or using a (rotating) brush in combination with an industrial static eliminator. After corona treatment of the plastic sheets again discharging is needed to make sure the treated sheet continues its way without static charge.
When entering the digital printing area with several printing heads, a predefined low static level is needed to guarantee high quality printing and continuous clean printing heads which results in long production runs. To achieve this a Simco IQ Manager System can offer real-time managing and monitoring options with a full controlled Closed Loop Feedback system (CLFB). This system monitors and controls all connected static devices and can be directly connected to the machine PLC via Fieldbus connection. In-line measuring and datalogging of static charge levels can be used in quality reporting.
This provides all information about the efficiency and required maintenance of the bars, as well as the static charge including alarms and other options to increase the control of the line, safety and quality which all results in high quality competitive digital printing!
Commonly Used Products
Manager IQ Easy
Manager IQ Easy Introducing a new level of static control; the heart of the new IQ Easy platform is the Manager IQ Easy. It comprises of a Control unit with a 7” LCD touch screen, provides information from all the connected devices and makes it easy to change and monitor status and parameters. Up to 6 IQ devices can be directly connected to the Manager IQ Easy. The 24V DC power distribution is routed via the Manager, so no extra cables! This makes the connection of a device even easier than connection to a single desktop power supply.
Performax IQ Easy
High performance combined with optimal static control. This is the new standard for antistatic bars. In combination with the Manager IQ Easy the Performax IQ Easy anti-static bar will ensure a very high efficiency of static neutralisation. Within the IQ Easy Platform up to thirty ionisation and charging devices can be connected in a network. Through the Manager IQ Easy it can be set up as a pro-active static neutraliser using the patented Up-stream static charge evaluation technique. Adding a Sensor IQ Easy to the system enhances the efficiency by measuring the downstream residual static charge and regulating the ionisation efficiency in real time to ensure a very low residual static charge. The glassfiber reinforced profile offers a very rugged structure even up to 5 metres in length. The Performax IQ Easy has an integrated high voltage power supply and requires only a low voltage input of 24V DC. It is equipped with a standard M12 connector for the 24V DC input. Two 3 colour high brightness LED visualises bar ON (green), WARNING (orange) or bar ALARM (red). The Performax IQ Easy bar has light slanted ends and protection classification IP66 wich allows easy cleaning. Universal mounting brackets are supplied for various mounting options.
Sensor IQ Easy
A sensor that measures the electrostatic charge of a web can be added to the IQ Easy platform. The Sensor IQ Easy is a bar type device that can hold op to 16 sensor heads. Each sensor head can be placed on a strategical position across the web to monitor the electrostatic charge. All data of each sensor head is communicated to the Manager IQ Easy and stored for process monitoring. For dirty environments or for precautionary protection of the sensor heads, the Sensor IQ Easy bar is equipped with a compressed air connection. Using only a very low pressure and air volume dirt entering the orifice of the sensors is prevented. Anti static bars or charging generators in the system can act on data received from a sensor. This makes it possible to control the static charge level on the web in real time using a closed loop feed back and correction routine. Data received from the Sensor heads can also be used for quality control and process monitoring. It can be retrieved from the Manager IQ Easy through the standard Ethernet port.
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