Shocking Fact of Life

However, since adding an Ion Systems Industrial static elimination unit to its new Dusenbury slitter/rewinder, Noetzel added, Hop has been able to protect operators from being shocked, and produce rolls of product with a neutral charge that helped its customers.

Solution: In many instances, static electricity is an irritating nuisance, more just an attention-getting shock. However, machine operators can be shocked time and time again, and sometimes with serious effects. "The massive electrostatic charges which build up in reels of plastic film, may, in certain circumstances, be strong enough to throw an adult across the room when discharged," said Matt Fyffe, general manager of Meech Static Eliminators (Richfield, Ohio).