Static electricity has long been a reality in label production, but today’s converters are dealing with a very different level of complexity. Faster press speeds, increased automation, digital and hybrid workflows, and a growing reliance on filmic and recycled substrates have elevated static from a nuisance to a critical production variable – one that directly impacts safety, print quality, contamination control, and uptime.

Across both flexo and digital converting operations, static control is no longer viewed as an accessory. Instead, it is an integrated, intelligent component of modern label manufacturing.

From operator shock to product defects

At its most basic level, uncontrolled static presents risk to both people and products. Operator shock remains one of the most common – and dangerous – issues with regard to static, particularly when high charges accumulate invisibly on fast-moving webs.

“Operator safety and product quality are the two biggest issues converters face when static is not properly controlled,” says Emily Dula, digital marketing specialist at Simco-Ion. She notes that static attraction of dust and debris can lead to poor adhesive bonding, print defects, and unplanned downtime.

Joe Moran, VP of sales at Static Clean International, adds that in certain environments, the risks are even higher. “If a converter is operating in a Class 1, Division 1 hazardous environment, controlling static is critical to eliminating the risk of fire or explosion,” he says. “Static control plays a direct role in protecting people, equipment, and the finished product.”

Speed, automation, and sustainable materials raise the stakes

Several industry trends are converging to intensify static challenges. Higher press speeds and automated workflows generate more friction and charge buildup while leaving less room for manual intervention.

“As converting equipment becomes faster and more automated, static control can’t be an afterthought – it has to perform at machine speed and integrate directly with the line,” Moran explains.

At the same time, the industry’s shift toward recycled and sustainable materials is introducing new variables. According to Dula, recycled plastics often retain stronger and more inconsistent electrical charges than virgin substrates, increasing the likelihood of static-related issues.

Terrance Clark, sales manager at TAKK Industries, sees these pressures accelerating demand for smarter systems. “The increasing automation and complexity of label presses, combined with the demand for high-speed, high-quality production, are driving the need for more advanced static control solutions,” he says.

Neutralizing – and sometimes generating – static

While static neutralization remains the primary goal in most label operations, it is not the whole story. In certain applications, particularly in-mold labeling (IML), controlled static generation plays a critical role.

“There is a growing need for static generation rather than neutralization in some applications,” Moran says. “For in-mold labeling, static helps pin synthetic labels in place so they can be incorporated into the molding process without wrinkling or misalignment.”

As a result, today’s converters often rely on a combination of neutralizing bars, ionizing blowers, and charging systems – each placed strategically along the web path at unwind, rewind, lamination, and finishing stations.

Digital printing brings its own challenges

Digital label printing introduces unique static-related concerns, particularly with inkjet technologies. Static can disrupt ink droplet trajectories, causing dot gain, banding, or uneven color density.

“In inkjet printing, static charges can pull ink droplets off course or repel them entirely, leading to visible print defects,” Dula explains. “Toner-based digital equipment creates different static loads than inkjet, as these systems intentionally use static to move and fuse toner. However, there are still challenges that may occur, such as incomplete toner transfer or the print resulting in poor image density if there is excess static. Also, if the static is not controlled in toner-based printing, dust and debris will be attracted to the material, thus resulting in contamination and product defects.”

The solution, suppliers agree, lies in precise placement of static control devices and a deeper understanding of how materials, environment, and press configuration interact.

Smarter systems with real-time feedback

What sets today’s static control technologies apart is intelligence and integration. Rather than standalone devices, modern systems are increasingly tied directly into press controls.

Simco-Ion’s Dula points to real-time monitoring and feedback as a major advancement, allowing systems to adapt automatically to changing conditions. 

TAKK’s Clark echoes this trend, highlighting adaptive intelligence that adjusts ion output based on actual application needs.

“Static control systems that integrate with PLC and HMI interfaces give operators immediate visibility and control,” Clark says. “That level of insight helps improve productivity while reducing waste and operating costs.”

Cleanliness and compliance drive adoption

For converters serving pharmaceutical, medical, electronics, and other regulated markets, static control has become non-negotiable. Uncontrolled static attracts particles, increasing the likelihood of contamination and rejected product.

“In industries with zero tolerance for defects, a single static-related contamination issue can result in scrapped or reworked product – and in some cases, millions of dollars in losses,” Moran says.

This reality is pushing more converters toward 100% inline static management, often paired with web cleaning systems, to ensure consistent quality and audit-ready production.

Supplier Solutions 

As static control becomes more tightly integrated into press and converting systems, suppliers are placing greater emphasis on automation, adaptability, and operational transparency.

At Simco-Ion, the company’s IQ Power platform and ionization products are designed to provide continuous charge measurement and dynamic output adjustment. This closed-loop approach helps maintain consistent static control performance even as substrates, speeds, and environmental conditions change during production.

“Converters want systems that don’t require constant manual tuning,” says Dula of Simco-Ion. “The ability to automatically respond to changes on-press helps stabilize print quality and reduces the risk of defects caused by inconsistent static levels.”

Dula notes that the visibility provided by real-time monitoring also improves preventive maintenance and troubleshooting. Operators can quickly identify where static is forming along the web path and address issues before they result in waste or downtime.

Simco-Ion offers both static neutralizing as well as static monitoring products. Dula comments, “Static neutralizing bars like the IQ Power Static Neutralizing Bar are engineered to neutralize static charges and are offered in over 85 different lengths and three types (hybrid, speed, and distance) to suit converter applications based on web speeds and operating distance.

“Ionizing guns like the Cleanflex Easy gun are designed to clean electrostatically charged surfaces on parts, with a hand trigger allowing for easy control of air flow. With the specially designed opening of the nozzle, the Cleanflex Easy produces a very compact air stream with reduced air consumption for targeted neutralization. Ionizing blowers like the IQ Power Fantom provide the highest speed and widest coverage for applications, and have additional monitoring capabilities when paired with the Control Station,” Dula says.

When it comes to static monitoring, Simco-Ion’s IQ Power Control Station is the center of the IQ Power System and includes a 10″ full-color touch screen with user-friendly features that helps monitor and control all connected IQ power devices. 

TAKK Industries is addressing static challenges with its X-Series static eliminators, which use adaptive intelligence to regulate ion output based on application requirements. Designed for both short-range high-speed neutralization and long-range static elimination, the platform is built to support increasingly complex press configurations.

Clark explains, “These products automatically adjust their power and ion output to meet specific needs. They are versatile, covering a wide range of applications, from close-range rapid static elimination to extended-range static elimination of up to 60+ inches. The X-Series also integrates with modern PLC/HMI interfaces for instant status updates and includes local status indicators for easy monitoring.”

For Static Clean International, application-driven system design remains a primary focus. The company supplies static elimination bars, ionizing air solutions, and integrated web cleaning technologies tailored for high-risk and contamination-sensitive environments.

“Our goal is to make static control smarter and easier to manage,” adds Clark. “TAKK’s static control technologies are designed for durability and tailored to meet the evolving needs of the label industry. Our products provide reliable and efficient static control solutions that enhance productivity and quality and reduce operational costs. The newest product line, the X-Series, coupled with our team’s decades of specialized static control expertise, sets a new standard for static elimination in the industry.”

“Different production environments require different static control strategies,” states Joe Moran of Static Clean International. “Whether it’s high-speed converting, pharmaceutical packaging, or hazardous-area operations, the system has to be engineered around the application – not the other way around.”

Moran emphasizes that combining static control with contamination prevention is becoming increasingly important as converters serve regulated markets. Reducing particle attraction while maintaining safe charge levels helps protect both product integrity and operator safety.

Static Clean also addresses an increasingly automated workflow. Moran says, “As more industries become more automated and incorporate high performing machines, the need for high performing static control equipment is vital. Our 24vDC Static Bar Line is one that can meet these newer challenges.”

The Static Clean 24vDC line includes High Speed Static Bars that can cope with web speeds up to 4k fpm and Long-Range Bars that can be mounted up to 10’ away without air assist. Furthermore, Moran says, “The power supply is integrated in each bar and a 24vDC cable allows operators to tie each bar into a PLC or HMI so the bar works with the machinery. We even have 24vDC static bars that will continuously monitor the static charge on the target and yield the more needed polarity to maximize decay times.”

Across all static control suppliers, the message is consistent: static control is no longer a standalone bar mounted near the unwind. It is evolving into a coordinated ecosystem of sensors, ionization hardware, and software intelligence that adapts in real time to modern label production demands.

Looking ahead

As label production continues to evolve, static control is moving from a reactive fix to a proactive strategy. Adaptive systems, predictive monitoring, and deeper machine integration are setting new expectations for performance and reliability.

“Every operation is different,” Dula notes. “Which is why static control has to be flexible, data-driven, and tailored to the specific materials, speeds, and environments converters are working with.”

For today’s label converters, effective static control is no longer just about eliminating shocks or dust – it is about enabling speed, automation, safety, and quality in an increasingly demanding
production process.