Improving print quality with electrostatics

Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Trittau, Germany, Enulec GmbH has been developing innovative electrostatic printing assist systems (ESA) as well as discharging and charging systems for the global gravure and packaging industry. The company holds several international patents that have laid the foundation for its leading market position.

Electrostatic print assist systems

Electrostatic printing assist systems were developed to support the ink transfer from the printing cylinder to the substrate. To support such efforts, ESA has been developed to optimise ink transfer in order to achieve consistently high quality particularly over long print runs without the need to change press settings. Regardless of factors such as impression roller characteristics, viscosity and press speed, Enulec systems ensure high product quality. Notably when printing on substrates like films, cardboard and paper, ESA systems have become the worldwide standard to ensure maximum print quality with different press configurations.

However, beyond these core products, Enulec also offers systems for measuring, controlling and the targeted use of electrostatics for the printing and converting sectors.

 Detection and removal of static charges

 The ability of Enulec ESA systems for efficient static charge reduction is proven by permanent measurements carried out by the Static Inline Control system. As a supplement to Roto-Film, it enables the monitoring and documentation of static charges and is used in printing as well as on laminating machines and winders. The system measures the static charge on the substrate web and triggers a traffic light alarm if predefined warning levels are exceeded. Roto-Film also avoids the negative effect known as charge accumulation and ensures effective ESA with  lowest power input even at the last printing unit of the gravure press. The unloading systems of the EST product family supports print shops as well as plastics processing companies to successfully eliminate electrostatic charges on devices such as slitter/rewinders or laminators to ensure safe production processes.

The EST-DC-LDS discharging electrode

In addition to the ESA system with air-flushed ionisation needles, Enulec has also developed the EST-DC product family of powerful discharging systems. Firmly established in the market, they prevent disruptive electrostatic charges on slitter/rewinders and laminators. The DC voltage discharging enables free charge carriers to be transferred onto the film even at very high running speed.

The EST-DC-LDS discharge electrode acts directly into the winding gap. In the process, the positive charge carriers on the film recombine with the very high accelerated negative charge carriers from the DC discharge bar. EST-DC-LDS has a functional range of about 20 mm to 800 mm and does not require any additional system adjustments for different statically charged films. Due to the special DC voltage technology, this unloading system eliminates all combinations of electrostatic charges. Thus there is no need for additional AC voltage discharging systems at the rewinder.

Electrostatic splicing system

The AST 60 charging station is a non-contact system which guarantees a secure fix between materials in preparation for lamination as well as for splicing applications in slitter/rewinders. This process was developed to facilitate the automatic changing of rolls in winding applications without the need for costly adhesive splice tapes. The web is fixed to the core electrostatically during the cutting operation.

Following the transfer of the web to the new reel, the charging unit is deactivated and, if fitted, the discharge bar is switched on. The system can be supplied with either standard charge bars or with the air-assisted ESA1000 charge bar. A fine air stream supports the ion transfer, so the ions will lay down more homogenious on the substrate surface. Designed to resist contamination, this air stream also avoids dirt accumulation at the pins so the charge bar offers very long maintenance interval compared to standard charge bars

Presence at Print4All

Enulec will present its products to the international trade public at the Print4All trade fair (Hall 11P, Booth D26). This is a trade fair format held for the first time in 2018 in the halls of Fiera Milano in the Rho district. Experts from all sectors will find a wide range of product solutions at one trade fair venue. The spectrum ranges from the processing of plastics for the packaging sector, printing and converting to the storage of ready-to-use products. The fair is organised as a collaboration between Fiera Milano and Acimga and Argi, the main Italian associations of manufacturers of machinery for printing and converting, and the 4IT Group, a market research company with many years of experience in this sector. As part of the Innovation Alliance, Print4All will be held together with the trade fairs Ipack-Ima (Processing and Packaging), Greenplast (Sustainable solutions in plastics) and Intralogistica Italia (logistics) from 3 to 6 May 2022.

Over the trade show event, the Innovation Alliance partners are organizing the  Circular Economy Summit concerning artificial intelligence and circular economy models towards a regenerative industrial ecosystem.