In the label converting industry, where precision, quality, and efficiency are paramount, controlling the scientific phenomenon known as static electricity is extremely important. Static electricity in label production occurs when materials such as film, paper, or adhesives come into contact and then separate, causing an imbalance of electrical charges on their surfaces. This is particularly common in high-speed processes like unwinding, rewinding, or during substrate movement through printing and converting equipment, where friction and rapid motion generate static buildup.

Static electricity can cause a range of issues, including dust attraction, material misalignment, and inconsistent print quality. Additionally, uncontrolled static can lead to safety hazards such as electric shocks or even fire risks. By effectively neutralizing static charges, static control equipment ensures smooth material handling, enhances product quality, and minimizes downtime. As production demands – and improving the bottom line – grow and technology advances, implementing robust static control solutions has become indispensable for maintaining operational excellence in label manufacturing.

Static Clean International and TAKK Industries are two leading suppliers of static control solutions for the label industry. We caught up with their experts to learn about the benefits of their product offering.

Static Clean International

Joe Moran, vice president of sales at Static Clean International, points out that the speed of webs have increased, resolutions and tolerances are much tighter, print quality demand has improved, and all are impacted by static electricity. 

Addressing the negative impact static can have on a print run, Static Clean International offers long-range and high-speed static eliminators (4103 and 4203) that are popular and effective in labeling applications/processes for the food, drink, pharmaceutical, medical, and FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) sectors.

“Due to their small profile, these static eliminators are ideal for mounting on machines where space is sometimes at a premium. The Model 4203 long range bars that work up to 30″ away are well-suited for roll-to-sheet and roll-to-roll presses,” explains Moran.

The 4103/4203 bars can be wired into a 24vDC supply if required. “This feature really speaks to the converting industry, where most end users would prefer to use a preexisting 24vDC supply,” Moran says. “This allows the bar to operate with machinery, and they can also monitor the bars’ health through a PLC or controls unit. These bars are also ‘plug-and-play’ due to the power supply integrated in each bar.”

Moran adds, “Technology is always changing for the label industry, and the static control industry will follow the trends. The medical device and pharma industries not only require a quality label but ones that are particle-free. It is a fact that if static is controlled on the press, less particles will be attracted to the process. The future is bright for static control and static control products in the label and converting industry. In today’s marketplace, there is a heavy focus on everything being static ‘clean’ and ‘particulate-free.’ Controlling static that causes particles to ‘stick’ to materials – such as plastic packaging or labels – is relevant to the new norm and standards that the printing industry demands. High reject rates will occur if static electricity is not controlled on the press.”

At Static Clean International, one of the latest developments in the works is a static bar that can work at even higher speeds and up to five feet from the web. “While these improvements are great to implement at unwind and rewind rolls, in time it will have promise for use in other areas such as before print stations and after corona treatment,” he says, concluding, “Static Clean is always creating and exploring ways to create products that keep up with evolving industry demands.”

TAKK Industries

Terrance Clark, sales manager for TAKK Industries, notes several problems that static electricity can cause in label converting, chief among them are print quality related defects. He says, “Static electricity is prone to result in repulsion or attraction of ink to a substrate’s surface. In the case of repulsion of ink droplets or dots, a printer likely would see ink smears, fuzzy characters or print hickies that negatively impact production of high-quality printed labels.”

When it comes to the label industry’s major trend – digital printing – Clark points out, “Conversely, static electricity attraction effects in digital printing can cause ink to expand out in what should be white space of a label or cause dropout of incorrect colors during printing from the digital printhead. These static issues create unacceptable prints, causing wasted production time, ink, and substrates, and considerable labor and re-work costs.”

Clark emphasizes that label converters continue to be laser focused on producing the best products with improved profit margins. “In pursuit of this goal, many savvy printers are looking for next generation static control technologies,” he says. “These automatically adjusting ionizers (static eliminators) have very high capabilities and versatility to match the unique, ever-evolving parameters that today’s leading label converters must have to deliver and meet their customers’ expectations.”

To meet these evolving converter needs, TAKK Industries brought to market its “Adaptive Intelligence” static elimination technology in its X-Series static eliminator models. 

“The X-Series raises the bar in providing automated, exceptional static elimination capabilities, and continuously adjusts both its static elimination power and ion output to match the exact needs of the application,” Clark says. “It can be installed at short or exceptionally long distances of 60-plus inches to accommodate changing diameter rolls or challenging space situations. The X-Series technology easily dovetails with today’s leading-edge PLC/HMI interfaces for instant status information about the unit’s operation, in addition to local status indicators on the X-Series Ion bar.”

According to Clark, TAKK Industries’ X-Series Static Control Technology is fast becoming the comprehensive, fool-proof static control solution that meets the demands of label converters. “The X-Series is a new evolution in smart static controls, providing exceptional capabilities such as using Adaptive Intelligence that detects and delivers the exact amount of ionization required, thus maintaining consistent control of static.”

The X-Series models cover a wide range of applications, from close range, rapid static elimination with speeds of 4500-plus fpm, to compact space situations, to extended range static elimination of 60-plus inches.