Five production problems almost always caused by static (and how to recognize them)

Five productions problems almost always caused by static (and how to recognize them) 

Static electricity is a common but often overlooked cause of production issues. From dust attraction and unstable material behaviour to shocks and quality defects, static-related problems can appear in many different forms. This article outlines five production problems that are frequently linked to static electricity and explains how to recognise when static control may be required.

Static electricity is often invisible until it starts causing problems.
In many production environments, static-related issues are addressed individually: a machine adjustment here, an extra quality check there.
When similar symptoms keep returning, the underlying cause is often not resolved.

Below are five common production problems that are frequently linked to static electricity, and what to look for when static may be part of the issue.

1. Shocks to Operators or Machine Frames

What you see
Operators experience electric shocks when working near highly charged materials.
This can happen when touching machine parts, reels or material, but also when coming close to a grounded metal object after being near a charged surface.
In some cases, a spark can jump from the charged object to the person.

Why this points to static
Static electricity is generated when materials come into contact and separate again, particularly non-conductive materials such as plastic, paper, wood or textiles.
When accumulated charge is discharged to a grounded object, an electric shock can occur.

Why it matters
Uncontrolled discharges create uncomfortable and potentially unsafe situations for operators.

2. Material or Labels Shifting During Processing

What you see
Films, sheets or labels drift sideways, lift slightly or fail to stay in position.
Label placement becomes inconsistent or material behaviour changes at higher production speeds.

Why this points to static
Electrostatic forces can attract or repel materials, especially lightweight films and labels.

Even small charge variations can influence how materials move, align or respond during processing.

Why it matters
Material behaviour becomes unpredictable and difficult to stabilise.
This often results in reduced line speed, manual corrections or increased reject rates, without addressing the root cause.

3. Dust Attraction on Products or Materials

What you see
Dust or other airborne particles cling to films, plastic parts or other charged surfaces, even in relatively clean environments.
Removing the dust only shifts the problem. Contamination often reappears further downstream in the process.

Why this points to static
Electrostatic charge on a surface causes it to attract particles from the surrounding air.

As long as the material remains charged, dust attraction continues.

Why it matters
Dust leads to visual defects, contamination and quality issues, particularly before coating, printing or packaging steps.

4. Visible Defects in the Final Product

What you see
Common examples can include:

• air bubbles under coatings or lacquer
• dust trapped in or on plastic
• misaligned or wrinkled labels
• inconsistent surface appearance

These defects often occur intermittently and are difficult to predict or consistently reproduce.

Why this points to static
Static influences how materials interact with coatings, films and the surrounding air.
Uncontrolled charge can disturb material positioning, trap particles or interfere with smooth surface formation.

Why it matters
Because these defects are typically detected late in production, they are costly and can be misdiagnosed as material or coating issues.

5. Frequent Manual Adjustments Without a Clear Cause

What you see
Operators regularly make small process adjustments to keep production running, such as changes in speed, tension, airflow or cleaning frequency.
Performance improves briefly and then deteriorates again without a clear explanation.

Why this points to static
Static levels change with material type, production speed and environmental conditions.
Without effective static control, operators compensate for symptoms instead of addressing the underlying cause.

Why it matters
This results in inconsistent production output, operator dependency and unnecessary downtime.

Recognising the Pattern

When one or more of these issues keep returning, especially when conditions change, static electricity is often part of the problem.
Because static is not always measured or monitored, it can be overlooked or incorrectly attributed to other causes.

Depending on the process, static control can involve elimination, controlled charging or performance monitoring.
Recognising the symptoms is always the first step.

If you want to discuss how static control could be approached in your production environment, we are happy to think along with you. Our specialists can help assess which static control approach fits your process.
👉  Contact us at cs@simco-ion.nl or reach out to your local Simco-ION representative.

Want to understand the differences between static control approaches?

In our comparison article, we explain the differences between stand-alone ionisers, IQ-based monitoring and closed-loop feedback systems, and when each approach makes sense. 

👉 Read the comparison article