Re: Suggestions to 'kill' static charges?

I agree with Rufus: eliminating the charge to begin with is better than trying to remove the charge later on. But in any case, there is a very large business in static reducing/eliminating equipment for manufacturing, and they have a product that addresses just about anything. Depending on the specifics of your system, a relatively inexpensive (in factory automation terms) ionizing air blower may be all that you need.

If you are getting the discs this way from a third party supplier, then the problem is theirs, not yours.

If this printing process is at your plant, then installing ion air blowers and other devices should be fairly straightforward. You have a lot of products to choose from, from vendors dying for your business.

-- Gordon Robots for Less at Budget Robotics:

Russell S>

Thank you for the various ideas expressed about the static problem. I must say that being busy I just havent had time to sit down and work through this problem properly. First up - no the problem is entirely ours. We have developed a printing system for the discs in which the final step is a surface 'buff' to remove a slight oil film (yes, oil). The finished product is beautiful to look at but oh my, highly charged. Actually we get a fair charge from the discs that come out of a Rimage thermal printer as well - I created one of those gold-leaf type static charge indicators and placing the discs near one of these makes them go berserk. So I'm thinking a 3 fold attack: Ion stream prior to the discs going near the robot machine. Conductive brush on the elevator - brush being grounded Low humidity - 40-50% Maybe this is an overkill, I will try each step and see how we go - in the end it will be worthwhile as its a nuisance when the system (which is designed to run unattended for days on end) comes to a grinding halt due to static charges causing the discs to stick together.

Again, thank you to those who contributed and got my mind working on the problem properly.

Low humidity contributes to static. Avoid it.