While most static issues in the converting industry involve solving static problems, in other industrial applications, static charge plays an important and beneficial role.

For example, in 1907, Dr. Frederick G. Cottrell, a professor of chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, applied for a patent on a device for charging particles and then collecting them through electrostatic attraction — the first electrostatic precipitator. Cottrell first applied the device to the collection of sulfuric acid mist and lead oxide fume emitted from various acid-making and smelting activities. Vineyards in northern California were being adversely affected by the lead emissions [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic_precipitator].

So, next time your cut sheets jam because the static level is too high, remember that the same static attraction is helping clean the air!

I received an interesting email question. What is the difference between an electrostatic fieldmeter and a non-contacting electrostatic voltmeter? And, if I had to pick either one or the other, which one is more useful for solving static problems?

I suggest using an electrostatic fieldmeter to begin an investigation of a static problem. Voltmeter measurements are complementary and can be added to the work stream if needed to help sort things out.

Electrostatic fieldmeters are good, workhorse instruments for detecting static charge. Readings should be taken on free spans between rollers and give a good measure of static charge averaged over a relatively large area. Fieldmeter readings are very good for relative comparisons, though it is a bit cumbersome to estimate actual web charge given a fieldmeter reading.

Also, electrostatic fieldmeters are ‘blind’ to a common charge pattern on insulating webs. Often, webs have a positive charge on the top surface and an equal amount of negative charge on the bottom surface. In this case, the field meter will read zero because the sum of the charge is zero. So, fieldmeter can give a false sense of security … reading ‘low static’ even when there is a significant amount of charge … enough to cause static problems.

Electrostatic voltmeters are excellent instruments for getting specific and detailed information on web charge. Voltmeter measurements are somewhat more tedious to set-up and make because readings should be taken on the surface of the web where it is wrapped around a grounded metal roller. The voltmeter probe should be located as close to the web surface as is practical. Usually, I mount the probe using a bracket that is attached either to a rod clamped to the machine frame, or attached to a magnetic base for indicators. One vendor recommends spacing the probe 2mm plus or minus 1mm from the film surface. There is a theoretical basis for this that I will discuss in a future edition of Static Beat, my column in PFFC.

Voltmeters read surface potential over a small area … a spot with a radius that is roughly equal to the probe to film surface spacing. So, voltmeters are especially useful for detecting spots or stripes of charge with a characteristic dimension on the order of a couple of millimeters. For measurements on moving webs or films, it is important to select a voltmeter that is fast enough to see a spot of charge. For example, a voltmeter with a 50 mS rise time (about 20 Hz bandwidth) would be somewhat limited in detecting charge on a moving web. Depending on the web speed, a spot of charge can come and go before it could respond.

A voltmeter detects the relatively common charge pattern where a film has positive charge on the top surface and negative charge on the bottom surface. Since a fieldmeter does not respond to this patter of charge, voltmeter measurements are complementary to fieldmeter measurements.

Fieldmeter readings are easy to make and relatively stable because the average the web charge over a large area. And, while voltmeter readings are somewhat more difficult to make, they give detailed information of the web surface charge distribution and can separately measure the charge on the top and bottom surfaces of the web.

Thanks for the great question. Keep asking! … Kelly R.

Static is only one of many challenges in commercializing new products and in running production processes. How can we organize our information and prioritize our work so that each issue gets the attention it deserves, and no more? Analysis tools to drive data driven decisions and project prioritization concepts that have proven so valuable in managing operations should also be applied to static issues. To move ahead with on this, we need to establish a performance baseline that is acceptable, and identify maximum levels of static that are satisfactory.

I strongly support and encourage clients to use static meters to measure static levels in processes. As an engineer, it is my nature to quantify issues and analyze problems “by the numbers.” The first step is to document the levels of static in a process when thing are running fine. While measuring static when there is no problem looks like a “waste of time,” this is critical to establishing what is normal and acceptable. Once we have a time trend of static readings, we will be able to recognize when increases in static are objectionable to our customers.

Two key enablers are needed to get started.

(1) You need to have a static meter.

(2) You need to identify sensible locations to measure static.

Many good static meters are commercially available. And, I’ll say more about identifying sensible locations to measure static.

More soon … Kelly R.

Thank-you for visiting ‘Kelly on Static.’ Here, I will share some fundamental concepts of static electricity, apply these concepts to real-world roll-to-roll manufacturing operations, and answer questions on electrostatic theories and applications. I’ll be sharing my thoughts on how webs become charged, how static charge causes problems, and how to dissipate charge to prevent problems.

One area of high interest is using roll-to-roll manufacturing technology to produce active electronic devices. As printed electronics develops and technology enables integrated circuits to be positioned and fixed onto moving webs, our “traditional” converting operations will be transformed into efficient, high value manufacturing operations. Good static control will be “table stakes” for the manufacture and converting of electronic products.

I invite you to turn this Blog into an interactive discussion. Please feel free to offer your comments, ask questions, and suggest topics for us to discuss.

I look forward to hearing from you. Kelly R.