The Big Squeegee
Long Time Member
Understanding static is half the battle. I will attempt to provide an answer to where it comes from and ways to get rid of it. Hopefully this understanding will help you to choose the best way to deal with the particular static problem you're having.
Production of static is from moving an insulated storage device along the earths magnetic flux. Our bodies act as a storage device because it is insulated from the earth through rubber soles and carpet. When we rub plastic together, the molecules line up to act like many tiny magnets. It holds the electrons in the magnets until the electrons have a path to ground.
There are several ways to combat static:
Direct ground. The best ground is one that has a metal connection to the earth. Grounding to conduit or a wall outlet is the most used for this. Printers should be well grounded to eliminate static.
Humidity. The moisture in the air is enough to provide a path to eliminate most static. The higher the humidity the less static you will have to deal with.
Indirect grounding. This grounding method is useful when the other two methods are inconvenient. The object is to make a ground through insulators with a moving object such as a work table or yourself. You may also have a situation like the vinyl in the printer producing static. The method is really quite simple. High strength magnets are placed so that the magnetic fields intersect both ground and the object needing grounded. I have tried the iron Ferrite magnets and they do not do the job. They have to be the high strength ones.
I have placed them on the bottom of my shoes and it has eliminated the shock treatment at the light switches and such. This may be one way to get away from the build up of electrons while mounting vinyl. I also put them on the bottom of trash cans so the plastic dust don't go circus act on me.
You should also avoid keeping the magnets on you without a ground as the magnets will absorb the excess electrons and store them to the capacity of the magnet. When you touch something, the shock will be much greater. This is not a problem with iron ferrite magnets.
Hope this helps.
Production of static is from moving an insulated storage device along the earths magnetic flux. Our bodies act as a storage device because it is insulated from the earth through rubber soles and carpet. When we rub plastic together, the molecules line up to act like many tiny magnets. It holds the electrons in the magnets until the electrons have a path to ground.
There are several ways to combat static:
Direct ground. The best ground is one that has a metal connection to the earth. Grounding to conduit or a wall outlet is the most used for this. Printers should be well grounded to eliminate static.
Humidity. The moisture in the air is enough to provide a path to eliminate most static. The higher the humidity the less static you will have to deal with.
Indirect grounding. This grounding method is useful when the other two methods are inconvenient. The object is to make a ground through insulators with a moving object such as a work table or yourself. You may also have a situation like the vinyl in the printer producing static. The method is really quite simple. High strength magnets are placed so that the magnetic fields intersect both ground and the object needing grounded. I have tried the iron Ferrite magnets and they do not do the job. They have to be the high strength ones.
I have placed them on the bottom of my shoes and it has eliminated the shock treatment at the light switches and such. This may be one way to get away from the build up of electrons while mounting vinyl. I also put them on the bottom of trash cans so the plastic dust don't go circus act on me.
You should also avoid keeping the magnets on you without a ground as the magnets will absorb the excess electrons and store them to the capacity of the magnet. When you touch something, the shock will be much greater. This is not a problem with iron ferrite magnets.
Hope this helps.
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