Converting Industry

Discover how you can apply Simco-ION products in your converting manufacturing business

Applications for the Converting Industry

Simco-ION offers solutions to control static electricity in converting processes like Slitting / rewinding. Stacking after sheeting processes and static free winding on Slitter machines and winders. Using a static charge can prevent air inclusion during bag making or Sheeter. Our IQ manager gives total static control in Coating/Laminating processes; including elimination and in-line measuring of static charges, setting alarm levels and data logging.
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Coating Machine and Fire Hazards

 

Manufacturers of packaging can experience multiple fires in their coating section caused by sparks from high static charges. Operators facing this issue turn to industrial antistatic solutions to help solving these static problems.

Each machine section can require different anti-static bars as the distance to the material varies. Also different type of rollers which the material passes influence the level of static charge on the web. Special attention for safety is required when it concerns the Ex-area, where only ATEX-approved electrostatic eliminators are allowed.

Different measurements must be made to learn exactly where the static is generated and discharging is necessary. To measure the exact static charge a handheld FMX field (static) meter is needed or an IQ Sensor bar for in-line measurement.

Unwinding plastic film can create static charges up to 20kV or more and the web needs to be neutralized directly after unwinding. Installing a high performance discharging bar also prevents that static charge will attract dust particles. If the material passes a corona treater, a massive static charge is created on the material and a discharging section (in Close Loop Feedback; CLFB) is recommended. Before the material goes into the coating section (ATEX-zone), both sides of the material require discharging to prevent the existing static charge acting as a possible ignition source that could result in a fire.

Inside the coating section the material passes multiple rollers and static is re-created. ATEX certified ionisation bars are neutralising the static charge on both sides of the web to prevent static charge acting as a possible ignition source. The pollution and efficiency level can be monitored by the IQ manager. If the efficiency goes below a preprogramed level the PLC or the operator receives a warning so he can service the indicated ionisation bars. During the drying process the material can re-charge again because of the temperature fluctuations in the dryer. Here and also before the laminating process 24V ionisation bars will neutralize the web and prevent static from encapsulating between the layers.

At the final (re)winder the material can once again create high static charges due to the pressure rollers, causing operators to get shocks when near to the material. As the distance to the material changes at the winder, a ThunderIon IQ is required to effectively eliminate the static charges created during the final winding. Additional demands regarding static charge or ensuring personnel safety can be created using an IQ Manager System with in-line static measurement and Closed Loop Feedback-technology. The IQ Manager can be directly connected to the coating lines PLC via Fieldbus connection. An alarm level alerts the operator in case the static charge reaches a dangerous level. In-line measuring and datalogging of static charge levels can be used in quality reporting. This is how the Manager IQ System provides all essential information to increase personnel safety and reduces the chance on new fires to a minimum.
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Flexoprint Machine

 

Flexographic printing lines as well as other printing presses are developed to produce flexible packaging in a variety of colours and finishes at high speeds. You can recognise static electricity by experiencing static shocks or seeing sparks as a discharging effect also printing issues like the following can have static as a cause:

  • Ink mist
  • Ghosting
  • Fuzzy printing due to static
  • Particles on the print
  • Dust attraction due to static
  • Print defects due to static
  • Overspray due to static

All effects can be static electricity(high-voltage static) related issues.  Static charges can create problems in many sections of the flexoprinter or flexopress.


Discharging the web

Discharging the web directly after the unwinder will prevent that a static charge will attract dust particles. Also operators will not get any shocks while passing or touching the web during production runs.


Corona treater

When the film passes a corona treater a massive static charge is created by the corona unit on the material. After the Corona treater a discharging is recommended (in closed loop feedback).


Flexoprinting section

If the flexoprinting section is indicated as Ex-area because solvents are used, static charges on the material can ignite the gas and cause a fire. Neutralising and static measuring just before the material touches the central (printing) drum is done by an ATEX approved anti-static bar and sensor bar. This way static charges are actively monitored to ensure a safe level; resulting in long and high quality production runs. After the printing section the material could be re-charged again in the dryer. Placing anti-static bars and a sensor bar enables neutralising and monitoring of the static charge before the film goes to the next section of the machine.


Winding Station

On the winding station, anti-static bars and a measuring bar (in closed loop feedback) are installed to neutralise the material during winding, this will also prevent possible static shocks to the operator that performs the roll change. Another effect that can be prevented by discharging the material is the telescoping end roll effect.
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Slitting and Rewinding

 

Simco-Ion provides full electrostatic control on high speed slitting/rewinding machinery.

Slitting/Rewinding is a process to cut different type of jumbo roll’s with various material-width to narrower sizes at (very) high speed. This technique is suitable for several materials like paper, plastic film, flexible packaging, fabric or textile. The web is unwound and run through the slitter/rewinder, passing adjustable cutting knives, before being rewound on one or more shafts to form narrower rolls.

Slitting/rewinding your foil is usual business nowadays, because of the high speed and the number of rollers (friction), static electricity can create major problems.

Immediately after the slitting operation and before the winder, 24V Performax (IQ) Easy Speed anti static bars will be installed. These static elimination bars will neutralise the static electricity generated during the previous unwinding and slitting process and will prevent:

  • New generated static during winding
  • Attraction of (cutting) dust
  • Employees getting shocks from static discharges
  • Telescoping effect on your slitted rolls

If a predefined low static level on the end-product is required, an in-line measurement system can offer this solution. 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 eliminators and can be directly connected to the machine PLC via Fieldbus connection. This provides all information about efficiency and required maintenance of the static eliminators, as well as the static charge including alarms. In-line measuring and datalogging of electrostatic charge levels can be used in quality reporting.

These options contribute to increase static control of the process, operator safety and product quality, which all together results in high quality competitive slitting and rewinding.
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Bag Making

 

Bag Making

 

Bag making machines come in various configurations based on the type of bags produced by the machine. The bag making machine produces a bag by unwinding a roll of plastic film through a series of operations like (heat) sealing, cutting, slitting & stacking. Typical products are garbage bags, T-shirt bags, shopping bags and bags with a draw-tape.

Bagmaking machinery creates a lot of static electricity. Because of the construction of the machinery, the rollers create friction between the roller material and the plastic foil that is passing. This friction creates electrostatic charges on the surface of the material (bags).

These electrostatic charges can cause the machine run poorly, making bad stacks so decreasing production yields and increasing rejects. These kind of problems are recognizable on most types of bagmaking machinery such as Bags-on-Roll (interleaf) and Bag-on-Bag

(for instance with a wicketer). These machines can be found in multiple

industries like general packaging, food, beverage and medical.


Static elimination

To neutralise electrostatic charges on bagmaking machines, Simco-Ion offers a complete program of static eliminating products. Often applied are the AC static eliminators MEB, MaxION or the ½” Super Service bars (made of Teflon so applicable at the sealing unit: heat resistant). Additionally 24V static eliminators are used such as the Performax IQ Easy (speed), VicinION or ThunderION IQ. These are both long range discharging bars, so eliminating the electrostatic charges responsible for stacking problems, especially needed on wicketer machinery.


Generating static

Less well known is the fact that static electricity is used to support a variety of processes, especially on bag making machines. It is applied for charging a roll, in example of garbage bags, to prevent air inclusion, further disturbances in the process and keep the roll compact. Also sticking material to a metal roller, without air inclusion, optimizes the cooling process.

Charging of the last bag of a roll, fixes the end of the roll and facilitates the following packing much easier into an outer carton. In many processes static charge is applied to improve production control by charging the bottom and/or side fold of the material or to assist during transport and stacking in the machine.


Perforation detection

The controlled generation of sparks is also used to detect perforations (pinholes), for quality inspection purposes.

Besides the fact that this is an interesting solution for non-contact inspection of product quality, there is also the possibility to count the number of perforations (also for biodegradable bags).

This production technique is made possible by Simco-Ion high voltage generators, that are especially designed for this applications. With a high voltage static generator like the Simco CM5 generator or a Simco 24V Perfomaster the spark can be controlled and converted to a signal that is passed on the machine PLC. This data informs the PLC, so operators knows if a product has a defect, if it is in the right position or the number of products which have been produced.

These Simco-Ion charging and discharging techniques result in high quality, competitive bagmaking!

Are you interested to learn more about the effects of static electricity on your bagmaking machinery? Find a Simco representative near you or subscribe to the Youtube channel Simco-Ion static control Europe

Simco-ION for your industry

Are you interested in learning more about how Simco-ION products are used across different industries? Browse the industries below for more insights, and feel free to contact us with any questions regarding our applications in the wood industry.
Rob Achterkamp-1

Rob Achterkamp, Sales Consultant

“In high-speed converting, static can lead to jams and defects. We visit your facility to implement solutions that keep your processes efficient and reliable.”

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