Earlier this year, Bradford, UK, based large format digital and screen printing company DS Smith Multigraphics experienced a serious static problem. Operators were getting large static shocks when handling semi-rigid PVC and foil laminated semi-rigid PVC on the company’s two metre wide Merkle sheeter.
The problem became a health and safety priority; and if it could not be resolved the company could continue operations with some substrates. Originally it was tackled by earthing the table under the stack of sheets and fitting carbon brushes, and static shoes for the operators, but this proved unsuccessful.
Commercial manager Eddie Barnett then consulted Euroto, whose sales director, Tony Aspinall, thought the static was being created as the substrate unwound from the reel. He recommended installation of a Fraser Ionstorm system with two Model 3850 Ionstorm static bars fitted either side of the web, controlled by a Model 3700 Controller.
Although the Ionstorm removed the static charge from the unwind, operators were still getting static shocks as they dragged the sheets after the cutter to stack them up. This problem occurred as large static charges were re-built as the new cut sheets were dragged up to five metres over the stack. Operators were building up charges in their bodies before discharging to earth when potential built up.
Tony Aspinall recommended that an additional Ionstorm bar three metres long should be installed above the operator’s heads. This would create a conductive path to remove charges being built up in the operators, preventing them from getting static shocks. As the Ionstorm Controller can control up to 10 m of static bar and 10 metres of cable it was easy to add to the original system.
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