The Gravure AIMCAL Alliance Committee honors winners in its annual Golden Cylinder Award competition at ceremony at AIMCAL R2R USA Conference in Orlando, Sept. 26-29
The jury also awarded an honorable mention in the category Technical Innovation – Press. It went to ENULEC GmbH for its new ENULEC ESA (electrostatic assist) Static Loop 360 system.
It measures gravure web static on an ESA platform reading both web and nip static voltage. Protected by four patents, the web static control technology overcomes the unknown variable of nip static and reduces web static up to 70%. The system neutralizes static via a patented safety grounding mechanism, which safely earths electrostatic charges that reach a 2kV threshold of nip static value. The system learns static values during the print run, then automatically adjusts ESA power and polarity to the lowest achievable static level.
Reducing web static charges to the lowest level is paramount for every gravure printer with ignition reduction initiatives. Direct integration with the onboard PLC gives the press control of the ESA system.
Described by the judges as an “awesome safety achievement,” the static reduction innovation provides true control of the process as well as cost savings.