Meech International has introduced a simple but highly effective monitoring unit for its AC ionising systems, of which many thousands are in use around Europe in the graphic arts, packaging, converting, plastic and pharmaceutical industries. The new 904CM system is straightforward to fit and provides accurate monitoring of the performance of the emitter pins incorporated within the ionising bars.
“The front panel of the 904CM contains status indicator LEDs and a numerical display,” says business unit director for static control, David Rogers. “A green LED indicates that the bars are operating effectively, while amber informs the operator that the bars are reaching a point where they need to be cleaned to remain effective. A red LED warns that urgent action is required to remove the contamination that builds up naturally on all ionising bars during use.
“Companies increasingly want to monitor the performance of their static control systems so that cleaning can be carried out when needed, but without incurring unnecessary stoppages to the production line or press. It’s difficult to tell visually that bars need dirt and paper dust removed and normally the first indication are problems in quality or throughput levels because static levels have become too high.
“In addition, contamination is affected by the stock and running conditions so it is difficult to set the frequency of cleaning in advance. To give even greater peace of mind to the operator, the 904CM system includes spark detection circuitry. This provides immediate detection of any damage to the high voltage cabling or ionising bar.”
The new 904CM system, which consists of a power unit and monitor, is very easy to install and operate. The amber and red LEDs have adjustable percentage trigger points that can be set by the customer. The analogue output means that the output of the bars can be monitored off-line and the data logged for future analysis.
