Anti Static Brush Specialist

Technical FAQ

WHAT IS STATIC ELECTRICITY?
HOW DOES A STATIC ELIMINATOR BRUSH WORK?
WHICH TYPE OF BRUSH AND FIBER SHOULD BE SELECTED?
HOW ARE BRUSHES MOUNTED?
WILL ONE BRUSH WORK?

WHAT IS STATIC ELECTRICITY?

Static electricity is electricity that is not moving (static). Rubbing or separating of two different materials typically causes it. One of the materials will become positively charged and the other will become negatively charged. Usually, at least one material has high resistivity, that is, nonconductive, the charge will remain on the surface of that material. The static charge may be large enough that it will discharge when it becomes close enough to a grounding point. This discharge spark can injure personnel, damage electronic components and sensitive material and cause fires and explosions. In addition, when two similar charges are near each other they will repel and dissimilar charged materials will attract each other. This electrostatic attraction will often cause major material handling problems.

HOW DOES A STATIC ELIMINATOR BRUSH WORK?

When dissimilar charged materials come together they neutralize each other. The conductive static elimination brush gives the static charge a path to the ground allowing it to neutralize each other. When a charge is generated on a surface such as plastic film; a well grounded static elimination brush mounted very close or touching the film after the charge is generated will "conduct" the charge off the surface of the film and send it to the ground.

WHICH TYPE OF BRUSH AND FIBER SHOULD BE SELECTED?

First the length is selected for your needs. The brush should cover the entire width of the material that is being discharged. If the web is wider than 48 inches, then just attach more than one on a grounded mounting bar. Most of the time, both sides of a film, web, etc. should be discharged since the material is usually nonconductive and the charge will not move or conduct to the brush from the opposite side of the web.

Carbon fiber, conductive nylon fiber or stainless steel fiber brushes are all extremely soft and pliable. These fibers cannot scratch or mar most surfaces since they are so soft. All three materials are conductive and work equally well in most applications. The carbon fibers are somewhat more 'rigid' but can break off if bent past 60-90 degrees. The stainless steel more resilient but can become snarled together if handled excessively. Also upon request Nylon fiber may be used. All the fibers are 8-12 micron diameter except the nylon, which is 45 microns diameter.

HOW ARE BRUSHES MOUNTED?

Brushes are punched or drilled to allow screws to attach the brush. Conductive tapes can be used but is somewhat expensive. The brush must be electrically grounded. This is the key factor to good installation.

WILL ONE BRUSH WORK?

Most likely one brush will not work effectively. There are many things that effect the generation of static that usually experimentation is the only sure way of determining the number and location of static brushes. Typically, a brush must cover both sides of a sheet, web, etc. Brushing with a conductive static brush and removing charge on one side of a sheet does not necessarily remove charge on the opposite side--the charge will not pass through the sheet since the material is non-conductive. Also, if the material with the charge is moving against a number of rollers and bars, then more than one set of brushes are needed to remove all the charge.