Static Eliminators
Static eliminators, or antistatic devices, are essential products designed to protect sensitive materials and equipment from the damaging effects of static electricity. These devices should not be confused with static mixers. Static electricity is stationary electrical energy resulting from an imbalance in the molecular structure of insulating materials such as paper and plastics. When these materials experience an unbalanced molecular structure, they generate excess positive or negative ions, leading to static charges.
Quick links to Static Eliminators Information
History of Static Eliminators
Static electricity, also called electrostatic discharge, has been recognized since ancient Greece, though early civilizations did not fully understand it. The first known documentation comes from Greek scientist Thales of Miletus, who around 600 BC observed that rubbing amber could attract leaves and dust. Theophrastus, a student of Aristotle, later described how certain stones could attract items like wood and straw when heated.
- During the 1600’s
- For many years, people mainly understood that friction could cause some objects to attract or repel each other. This changed in 1600 when British scientist William Gilbert distinguished between magnetism and electricity. Gilbert coined the term electricus, meaning "like amber." He explained electricus as the property of an object to attract others after being rubbed. By 1646, "electric" and "electricity" had entered the English language.
- During the 1800’s
- After Gilbert's findings, inventors like Benjamin Franklin conducted extensive electrical experiments. By 1879, Thomas Edison had tested the first electric light bulb. As electricity became widespread, the effects of static became more apparent, prompting efforts to manage and eliminate static charges.
- During the 1900’s
- In 1919, Roy A. Weagant developed a device to remove static interference from transatlantic wireless communications, which was crucial during World War I. The invention of the transistor in 1948 and the integrated circuit in 1958 ushered in the digital era, increasing issues with ESD. This led engineers to create antistatic procedures and devices, developing tests and standards for manufacturers. In the 1960s and 1970s, companies began using meters to directly measure ESD in electronic equipment.
- Current Times
- Today, electronics are more prevalent than ever, resulting in greater static electricity worldwide. As technology evolves, static eliminators continue to advance and play a vital role in protecting sensitive devices. This trend is expected to continue as innovation drives new solutions.
Applications of Static Eliminators
Customers use static eliminators to prevent damage caused by excessive ions or static charges. Static electricity can cause hazards such as fires, electric shocks to workers, and damage to equipment. These static charges are commonly created by friction, separation, or temperature changes.
Static elimination is crucial in diverse industries, including electronics, communications, computer technology, healthcare, automotive, printing, residential services, power generation, plastics, and semiconductors.
Design of Static Eliminators
Static eliminators utilize two main approaches: active and passive solutions. Active control solutions require a power source and are capable of completely eliminating static electricity. Passive solutions, which do not require power, work by reducing surface charges through absorption. Because passive controls only lessen static rather than eliminate it, they are generally less effective than active devices.
- Active Control Methods
- The primary method for active static control is ionization. Ionization produces ions through processes like particle collisions, chemical reactions, electrical discharge, high temperatures, or radiation. Static eliminators that use ionization are known as ionizers. These devices use electrical energy to generate a balanced flow of ions, neutralizing unbalanced static charges and preventing further static buildup.
- Passive Control Methods
- Examples of passive static control include electrostatic induction and grounding. Electrostatic induction uses a charged body, like a static brush, to correct ion imbalances in nearby materials. The two objects do not need direct contact but must be close for induction to work. Grounding establishes a direct connection to the earth, safely dissipating excess charges. This method is versatile and even used in static dissipative hoses.
- Other Methods
- Corona treatment is another method for static control. This surface treatment exposes materials to an electrical discharge, called a corona, making the surface more receptive to bonding with inks and adhesives. In addition to improving bonding properties, corona treatment also helps prevent static buildup, acting as a preventative measure rather than a direct static eliminator.
Use of Static Eliminators
To use a static eliminator, first detect the presence or amount of static electricity. This can be done with a static meter designed to measure static charges.
After confirming static electricity, neutralize or reduce its effects using one or more electrostatic discharge products mentioned earlier. These tools help protect sensitive materials and environments from static-related problems.
Types of Static Eliminators
- Antistats
- Anti-static materials that impart static-dissipative properties to surfaces. Antistats can be coated onto a material or added directly to its formulation.
- Anti-Static Bars
- Also called ionization bars, these devices remove static electricity from industrial production lines. They effectively solve problems like static cling by emitting an ionized corona above the line, neutralizing static charges as products pass by.
- Anti-Static Gloves
- Commonly used in manufacturing, medical, electronics, and computer industries, anti-static gloves protect both workers and products from static damage.
- Anti-Static Mats
- Function through induction by discharging electric fields. Workers touch the mat before handling sensitive devices to safely reduce static electricity.
- Anti-Static Spray
- Prevents static electricity by forming a thin, transparent layer on equipment surfaces. Anti-static sprays are ideal for hard-to-reach or inaccessible areas, fast-moving products, or surfaces with high static levels. They work via conductivity and are often made by diluting a soap-based material in a mild alcohol solvent, usually with a fire retardant added for safety.
- Anti-Static Wipes
- Pre-moistened towelettes with anti-static cleaner for cleaning and static control.
- Corona Treaters
- Apply a surface treatment that increases a material's ability to bond with inks and adhesives while also reducing static buildup.
- ESD Products
- Static control solutions used for ESD protection, preventing electrostatic discharge from damaging sensitive electronic equipment.
- Ground Straps
- The most widely used static eliminator, these conductive or dissipative straps are worn on the wrist or shoes to provide a grounding path. The strap must contact the user’s skin or socks to work. Grounding straps are commonly used in industrial manufacturing to ground machinery and personnel.
- Ionizers
- Also known as "ionized air blowers," these devices create positive and negative ions and direct them across a work surface to neutralize static charges. Ionizers are used in plastics processing, electronics, and printing, on materials like paper, plastics, as well as air and water. A notable example is the "Ionix Static Eliminator."
- There are two main types of ionizers for static control: alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). While both have unique benefits, DC ionizers require an additional power supply or circuitry to provide opposite polarity, unlike AC ionizers.
- Static Bags
- Also called anti-static bags, these are special containers for storing sensitive electronics like computer chips, protecting them from electrostatic charges by induction.
- Static Brushes
- Known as ESD brushes or anti-static brushes, these tools allow for static-safe cleaning, static dissipation, solder removal, lead trimming, and dusting, eliminating static by induction.
- Static Control
- Protects devices and equipment from static electricity damage.
- Static Control Flooring
- Flooring designed with a conductive coating or finish to maintain conductivity in factory settings and various environments.
- Static Meters
- Electronic instruments used to detect if an object or surface carries a static charge and if a static control solution is required.
Standards and Specifications of Static Eliminators
Static eliminators must comply with strict safety and industry standards, which can vary by application, region, and sector. For coating and printing, refer to NFPA standards, which address static electricity control to prevent explosions and fires around such equipment.
The leading authority for static eliminator standards is the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Since the 1980s, most companies worldwide use IEC standards for ESD testing. It is important to ensure your supplier follows these standards.
Other relevant standards for static eliminators may be issued by organizations such as the NRC (US Nuclear Regulatory Committee), the military, the FDA, and the ESDA (Electrostatic Discharge Association), an ANSI affiliate. Consult industry experts for guidance on compliance requirements.
Things to Consider When Choosing Static Eliminators
If you’re searching for a reliable static eliminator manufacturer, consider those featured at the top of this page. Each has a track record of expertise and customer satisfaction. To select the best fit, start by listing your specific requirements.
Think about your application (system type, size, etc.), budget, timeline, compliance standards, delivery needs, and post-delivery support. Once your list is ready, review the manufacturers we’ve highlighted and select a few to contact. Discuss your needs with each, then compare their responses to find the ideal partner for your project.
Static Eliminator Terms
- Catastrophic Failure
- The failure of a product caused by electrostatic overstress.
- Conductor
- A substance that maintains the ability to transmit an electrical charge. Conductors have high electrical resistance.
- Degradation
- Product damage, resulting from static electricity or ESD, in which the product works at a lower level of efficiency, but has not yet failed.
- Electrical Resistance
- A measurement reflecting an object’s ability to carry an electrical charge. A conductive object with low electrical resistance can transmit a high level of electricity across its surface; a non-conductive object with high electrical resistance transmits little or no electricity across its surface.
- Electrostatic Charge
- The electrical charge generated when two objects contact each other and separate, a process called "triboelectric charging" or "tribocharging."
- Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
- The release of electrical energy, usually caused by the shift of electrons from one object to another as the objects come into contact with and separate from one another. ESD occurs between two objects with different electrical potential and may reduce product effectiveness or cause product failure.
- Electrostatic Overstress
- A circumstance in which an object is exposed to an electrical current greater than that to which the object is normally exposed. Stressing a product past its tolerance may result in reduced product effectiveness or product failure.
- Grounding
- A process in which an object containing an electrical charge connects with a conductor, such as the earth.
- Inductance
- An increase in an electric field’s strength that may result in static electricity.
- Insulator
- A substance with little or no ability to carry an electric charge. Insulators have low electrical resistance.
- Low Charging
- A term synonymous with "anti-static."
- Ohm
- A measurement indicative of a conductive object’s electrical resistance.
- Static Dissipative
- An object’s ability to carry a charge throughout its surface. An object that is static dissipative ranges between conductivity and insulation.
- Triboelectric Charging
- A major cause of ESD in which a charge is created when electrons shift from one object to another during the contact and separation of the two objects with one another.
