Packaging

Static Control on Unwind and Rewind Rolls

As the roll diameter changes in unwind and rewind applications, the efficiency of a static bar will decrease as the static bar gets futher away from the roll.

The NEW Simco ROLL FOLLOWER , equipped with a high efficiency static control bar, is designed for permanent mounting to an unwind or rewind stand for continuous control of static electricity. Photo sensors included in the system detect changes in the outside diameter of the material roll and automatically move the static bar to maintain a predetermined distance to the surface of the roll, regardless of the web speed. When the roll is finished the static bar retracts to its resting position, away from the roll. The system PLC allows the operator to easily program the unit for either unwind or rewind functions. The result is maximum static neutralizing efficiency regardless of roll diameter throughout the entire unwind or rewind process.

To view a video of the Automatic Roll Follower click here

Static Control for Slitting and Rewinding

Static charges can cause trim fragments and fibers to stick to films after slitting. The dirty, charged roll may cause production slowdowns, poor product quality and even rejected product.

A SIMCO Phoenix™ Ionizing Blower installed above and just after the slitting operation directs the ionization at the film and trim fragments.Static charges are eliminated during the slitting process, preventing fragments from being reattracted to the film. As a result, neutralized materials stay clean and dust free, dramatically reducing slowdowns and rejected rolls, and improving overall product quality.

Static Control for Cleaning Thermoformed Trays

Thermoforming trays attract dirt and contamination resulting in rejects.

SIMCO’s Phoenix Static Control Blower installed directly above the delivery of the thermoformed trays offers improved product quality with the reduction of dust and dirt.

Static Control for Plastic Parts Cleaning

Plastic parts can have high static charges and attract dust and dirt, resulting in rejected parts.

SIMCO’s Phoenix Static Control Blower installed on a belt conveyor, directed at the plastic parts, will neutralize the static charges, prevent reattraction of contaminates and reduce rejects.

Electrostatic Charging on Heatshrink/Overwrap

An electrostatic bond holds sheets of paper or plastic in place until the heat sealing or welding is completed. Chargemaster applies an electrostatic charge to bond sheets together to keep them in a tight stack. This prevents the film overwrap from pushing the top sheet out creating a shingling problem. Imperfect packaging and damaged sheets are also prevented.

Electrostatic Charging on Dry Bonding Web/Sheet Lamination

Chargemaster power supplies and charging bars work to bond the substrate and the laminating material. The materials pass between the two bars without contact and are electrostatically bonded. This ensures that materials remain aligned during the lamination process.

Using an Electrostatic Charge for Interleaving a protection layer

Chargemaster pins the protective sheet to the base material, holding it in position through the shearing and stacking processes. Chargemaster equipment supplies the electrostatic force to bond a protective layer of paper or film to cut sheets of metal, glass, wood, and other products. Chargemaster is also used to hold wood laminates to core board prior to thermal bonding of desk tops and panels.

Static Control for High Speed Web

The NEW PerforMAX 3 Static Control System is capable of neutralizing charged materials traveling up to 2,500 feet per minute, and faster depending on conditions.

In addition, the PerforMAX works well in all types of applications and neutralizes even very high levels of static charges. It is particularly well suited for difficult applications, where a traditional static control bars may not be enough:

• Winders and rewinders, where the material is often far away from the static bar due to web path restrictions
• High speed webs — the PerforMAX can handle speeds up to 2500 feet per minute and more
• Over open webs where it is inconvenient to locate the static bar close to the web
• In applications where the operation of the static eliminator must be closely monitored

Static Control for Form, Fill and Seal

Vertical form, fill and seal operations often result in rejects of the finished package due to product fines attracting to the film in the seal area. Blue Bars positioned just below the fill tube neutralize the film, resulting in a clean seal.

Static Control on Rollers

Particulate is attracted to a charged rubber roller causing impressions from the contaminant to be transferred to the paper. A Blue Bar installed facing the roller takes the charge off the roller.

Static Control on Accumulators

Static charges can build up on a web in an accumulator. When charges become too high, the web may attract to itself or other surfaces, and the accumulator may not extend to its full range.

Place R51 Static Bars, which are very high output bars, in the open areas between the folds of the web (see diagram). If the opposing sides of the web are within 2" or 3" of each other, mount the bars with the pins pointing up. This eliminates the need for two static bars within one fold. Further than 3", two bars may be required within each fold.

Static Control on a Wicketer

Static charges can make bags stack poorly, decreasing production yields and increasing rejects. Because of its extended range and high ionization output, the Blue Bar can neutralize static on materials several inches away, eliminating the static charges responsible for stacking problems on the wicketer.

Electrostatic Charging for Bagmaking

The speed of the conveyor can cause the lead edge of the bag to lift up and shift. Electrostatically pinning trailing to leading edges prevents lifting and keeps bags proceeding smoothly along the conveyor line. Chargemaster can also be used to remove air from bags prior to packaging. The reduced thickness allows the use of smaller, more cost-efficient packaging.

Static Control and Air for Bottle Cleaning

SIMCO's ionizing air nozzles are ideal for delivering ionization into inaccessible trouble spots, such as isolated, hard-to-reach sections, dirty areas, or small spaces. Operating on compressed air, nozzles provide a highly efficient pin-point source of ionization to neutralize charges in very specific spots, often several inches away from the nozzle tip. At the same time, dust, dirt, and particulate are blown away from the targeted surface. Available in four styles, the nozzles can be arranged in many configurations to accommodate space limitations on industrial machinery. They are available individually or optionally mounted on a standard air bar header.

Electrostatic Charging for Catalog Stacking

SIMCO Chargemaster BP-30 power supply and Pinner Superbar charge catalogs just prior to stacking. As a result, the catalogs become flat and snap onto the stack, electrostatically adhering to each other. The catalogs are held together in a tight, registered stack as they proceed through the overwrapping and shrinkwrapping processes. Jams and edge damage are eliminated and throughput rate is increased. Use of strapping equipment is reduced or eliminated.

Static Control on an Open Web

Static charges on an open web can attract dirt, shock operators and cause product defects. A Blue Bar will neutralize the static charges, eliminating production problems. The Blue Bar neutralizes static charges on webs at speeds to 2500 fpm at 1" and can be mounted up to 6" from the web at slower speeds.

Particulate Removal and Static Control on Corrugated Materials

CLEANING CORRUGATED MATERIALS

Slitter Dust, chaff from sheeting, and other environmental contaminants on the surface of the corrugated material make it impossible to achieve production goals and difficult to maintain quality print standards.

Neutro-vac Web and Sheet Cleaning Systems effectively remove slitter dust, chaff from sheeting and other contaminants from the surface of corrugated material.

To view a video of cleaning corrugated materials click here.
To view another video of cleaning corrugated materials click here.

CLEANING PAPER, FILM and FOIL

Slitting, sheeting, coating, laminating, bag making, and other production processes of paper, film, and foil materials create particles that contaminate the web.

SIMCO offers a wide variety of web cleaners. The one that is right for you depends on how clean you need your web surface. Most systems are configured with static bars that neutralize static charges and prevent reattraction of contaminates to the web surface.

Static Control on RFID Tags

RFID tags contain an antennae to enable them to receive and respond to radio-frequency queries from an RFID transceiver. The microchip contained in an RFID tag can be damaged by static electricity.

Static charges are commonly found in tag and label printing/production operations anywhere along the path from the feed-roll to the rewind. The charges are generated by the contact and separations of the web material from the unwind roll, and as the material travels over the various rollers and process stations as it runs through the press or converting equipment.

Unfortunately the tiny circuits of the RFID tags may not be robust enough to withstand exposure to static charges.

To protect RFID tags, SIMCO manufacturs several products to control static charges.

The Blue Bar provides relatively balanced ionization. The ionizing balance (equality of positive and negative ions) of the active eliminator is important because the offset voltage differential (usually negative) of some ionizers could cause damage. Balanced ionization will reduce the static charges quickly to levels that are no longer dangerous to the RFID tags, with negligible residual voltage. CLICK HERE for more information on the Blue Bar

The PerforMAX 3 is the most advanced static control system available for monitoring static neutralizing performance. PerforMAX3 provides outstanding extended range performance to eliminate static charges even when installed 2" to 10" from tags and labels. The PerforMAX3 system is available in several configurations. The standard system provides remote ionization monitoring and control, clean bar and system fault indicators, and remote on/off control. The computer interface configuration has remote computer monitoring and data acquisition. CLICK HERE for more information on the PerforMAX3

The fusION delivers powerful and balanced static control in a compact package that can be installed in places where typical ionizer designs do not fit. Simple to install, operate and maintain. No adjustments or calibration are necessary with Simco’s patented auto balancing (DOCC) technology. The biggest benefit for RFID applications is the this unit has a guaranteed ion balance of + or - 50m volts, and is specifically designed for use in electronics applications. CLICK HERE for more information on the fusION

SIMCO’s Aerostat PC is an excellent choice for static elimination in RFID application when a static bar can not be used. The Aerostat PC is distinguished by its variable speed control, balanced ionization and patented emitter point cleaner, While helping to protect products and personnel from the effects of static discharge, the Aerostat PC is lightweight, small, and quiet - making it easy for the user to direct the ionization where it is needed. Best of all, this unit has a guaranteed ion balance of + or - 50m volt! CLICK HERE for more information on the Aerostat PC

Electrostatic Charging for Card Insertion on Perfect Bound Lines

On perfect bound lines, card inserts often overshoot the target area because of the line speed. Also, it may not exactly match the line speed hence the card may slide backwards which results in bad positioning on the package. Apply a static charge with the charging bar to the card as it hits the page to effectively hold the card in place.

Particulate Removal and Static Control on Flexoprint Machines

Slitter dust and other environmental contaminants on the surface of the film material make it impossible to achieve production goals and difficult to maintain quality print standards. Neutro-vac Web Cleaning Systems effectively remove slitter dust and other contaminants from the surface of films prior to printing.

Static Control on Labeling Machine

Static electricity on labels may cause poor label feeding on high speed labeling machines. Static electricity on plastic bottles to be labeled will result in poor label placement and bad positioning. These problems will cause slower production speeds and higher rejection rates. Static Control products positioned as shown above will eliminate the static charges and allow optimum process productivity.

Static Control on Shrink Wrapping Machine

Packaging film is unwound and formed into a tubular configuration, as the product flows on a belt into the tube of film. The film is overlapped either on top or bottom side. The so-called overlap is required to fix the two ends of the film tight together. Heat welding or electrostatic charge is applied, to prevent the film from tearing in the shrink tunnel. The electrostatic electrode uses less energy than the heat welding system. It also requires no maintenance and the final product is easier for the end-user to unwrap.

Static Control on Sleeving Machine

Printed shrink sleeves for decorating plastic or glass bottles, offer an effective medium for advertising purposes and additional protection. The flat film is unwound and runs through a bufferstack and is then pulled over a mandrel to form a tube. The sleeve is cut to size by knives in the cutting unit. The sleeve is then pushed down over the container and shrunk to fit the container contour in a heat tunnel. Static electricity may cause the film to stick to the mandrel or, once cut, the sleeve is not properly positioned on the container. Static control bars placed at the indicated position assure a correct functioning of the machine.

Static Control on Thermo-/Vacuum Forming Machine

Unwinding a plastic web generates static electricity and gives electrical discharge shocks to operators. Static electricity will also attract ambient dust. The thermoform process also creates static and will cause further dust attraction and stacking problems. Simco static control blowers produce a gentle ionized air stream and eliminate the side effects of static charges. In line systems in particular suffer from the contamination on the film, particularly when the “cups” immediately after being vacuum formed are filled with a product; i.e. yogurt. To remove the contamination on the web just before vacuum forming, Simco recommends a web cleaner.