Media Handling Engineering and Technology

General Guidelines
for the
Design and Implementation
of
Basic Media Handling Elements

Control and Elimination of Static in

Media Transports
Perhaps not an issue in India with its higher temperatures and humidity,
Static will be a seasonal issue anywhere, anytime it gets cool and dry!

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
Learning Objectives
After completing this seminar:
You will be familiar with how Static Charge is
Generated on Paper in a xerographic Copier, Printer
or MFD
You will learn when Static may be a Problem
You will learn how to properly implement Passive
Static Eliminators
You will learn about common implementation
mistakes and how to avoid

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
Information Presented
“The fine print”

A lot of this information is available from various

sources on the internet, including manufacturer’s
web sites
Numerical and Geometric Design and
Implementation Guidelines are the valid product of
40 years of experience
They are based on various manufacturer’s
recommendations and they are recommended for
use in the minimization of sheet Tribo
Electrification and the implementation of Passive
Static Elimination into Media Path Hardware

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
Course Outline
SOURCES OF STATIC GENERATION IN A COPIER:
o General Background
o Environmental Stresses
o Corotrons
o Tribo Electrification
o Nip Rollers and Fusers
o Static Problems in Copiers and Printers
o Conductive Plastics

TYPES OF PASSIVE STATIC ELIMINATORS:

o How they Work
o Carbon Fibers
o Stainless Steel Fibers
o Conductive Acrylic Fibers
o General Dimensions

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
Course Outline (continued)
IMPLEMENTATION OF PASSIVE STATIC ELIMINATOR TECHNOLOGY:
o Options for Brush Locations along the Paper Path
o Nearby Ground Planes
o Brush Mounting Rules

MEASURING STATIC CHARGE

o Methods
o Faraday Cage

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology

SOURCES OF STATIC GENERATION IN A COPIER

o General Background
o Environmental Stresses
o Corotrons
o Tribo Electrification
o Nip Rollers and Fusers
o Static Problems in Copiers and Printers

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
BACKGROUND:
FRICTION, PRESSURE and SEPARATION are the primary generation mechanisms of
Static Electricity in a Media Path, called TRIBO ELECTRIFICATION, from the Greek
word ‘tribo’ , meaning ‘to rub’.
This is the same effect responsible for the shock you receive when you walk across a
wool carpet and then grab a door knob.
The magnitude of this static charge depends on the materials involved, the contact
forces involved, the rate of separation and the ambient humidity.
Tribo Electrification generally increases with increased contact or friction forces,
faster rates of separation or relative velocity and decreasing Relative Humidity.
When the humidity is low, higher Static Charges are generated so Static Problems in
Copiers and Printers become more noticeable in the winter months, in dry climates,
and in air conditioned buildings.
Above 50 to 60% RH, static build-up is not normally a serious problem.
However, it is the % humidity inside the machine, not the room that will govern
Electro Static Behavior!
Passive Static Control Hardware can be located at critical points throughout the
Media Path to reduce the static charge to tolerable levels.

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
Xerox Environmental Zones
Relative
Temperature
Zone Humidity Description Problems Encountered
o o
F C %

High Curl, 'Limp" Paper,

India A 80 27 80 Hot & Wet
Worst Paper Handling

B 72 22 55 Nominal Normal (whatever that is?)

Static Electricity on Paper,

C 60 16 20 Cool & Dry
Poor Paper Handling
Depends on Actual Temperature & Relative
D ?? ?? ?? Lab Ambient (not controlled)
Humidity
Static Electricity on Paper,
J 50 10 10 Extra Cool & Dry
Poor Paper Handling

Use the various Zones to Stress certain types of

Media Handling Problem Behaviors
The Dry ‘C’ & ‘J’ Zones are the Most Stressful
for Static on Copy Problems
However, all Media must perform in All Zones [AZAP]
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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
The Corona Device as a Source of a Static Charge on Paper

Corona Devices use Ionized Air to induce Charges on Paper for various
xerographic purposes

Some level of Residual Charge may remain on the media as the sheet
exits the Transfer Zone

This Charge can only be removed AFTER the Image is Fused

This Charge should be neutralized or reduced to an acceptable level to

avoid Paper Handling Problems, especially in Output Trays, Stacker Trays
and Compiler Trays

Different media may behave differently based on the electrostatic

properties of the particular substrate
OHP Transparencies are by far the worst media for Static related problems

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
Tribo Electrification as a Source of a Static Charge on Paper

Relative sliding motion of dissimilar materials will generate a charge on

the surface of a sheet of paper

“Rub a balloon against a wool sweater” and the balloon can be electro
statically adhered to a plaster wall

Examples of Tribo Electrification in Media Handling devices include

sheets sliding:
• Into an Output Tray
• Into a Compiler Tray
• Across an ungrounded, non conductive Baffle or Guide
• Against another sheet of paper as in an Inverter
• Across a Platen Glass in a Document Handler or a Scanner
• Across any dissimilar material such as Plain Paper over an OHP
Transparency

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
Nip Rollers and Fusers as a Source of a Static Charge on Paper

Running a sheet of paper through a Nip with an Elastomer Coated Roller

will generate a localized charge on the surface of the sheet in line with
the nip roller location

Think of a Fuser as a Wide Nip Roller with dissimilar, non conductive

materials on both sides of the sheet
Roll Fusers impart high levels of Static Charge onto the Paper

HELPFUL HINT:
POSITIVE or NEGATIVELY CHARGED TONER can be sprinkled
independently on a CHARGED SHEET
The Toner will be attracted to oppositely CHARGED ZONES on the sheet
This technique can be used to identify the LOCATION and CHARGE [+ or -]
of any CHARGED ZONES on the Sheet

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
Static Problems in Copiers and Printers
Residual Charge on a sheet can cause problems with the xerographic
process:
Due to Static Charge on the sheet coming out of the Paper Feed
Modules
Due to Static Charge on 2nd pass sheets coming out of the Duplex Loop
Residual Charge on a sheet can deflect the paper trajectory and tack the
sheet to a stationary baffle causing excessive drag or even paper jams
Residual Charge on successive sheets can build up a charge on nearby
objects such as Baffles, Guides and Shafts and cause Electro Static
Discharge problems, potentially damaging the machine’s electronics
Residual Charge on a sheet can cause Stacking Problems in Compiler
Trays, Output Catch Trays and Document Handler Trays
The combined Charge from several sheets accumulated in an Output
Tray are additive and can cause an Operator Shock Hazard
Generally, ≤ 20 nano Coulombs per sheet is considered a safe charge
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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
Conductive Plastics
Conductive guides are very good for avoiding or even reducing sheet charge
These can be sheet metal or plastic
Plastics fall in to three general categories:
non conductive
semi conductive
conductive
Conductive guides will often help reduce or ‘bleed off’ static
Semi conductive will prevent or avoid further charge build up but is
unlikely to reduce sheet charge levels
Non conductive plastic guides will tribo charge the sheet
CAUTION: Conductive plastic can be more expensive, more brittle, more
difficult to mould and can leave marks on the paper
But they are effective!
As an example, the Sorcery HVF from Sindo Ricoh exits sheets with a
lower static charge level than when they exit from the IOT!

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology

PASSIVE STATIC ELIMINATORS

o How they Work

o Carbon Fibers
o Stainless Steel Fibers
o Conductive Acrylic Fibers
o General Dimensions

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
PASSIVE STATIC CONTROL DEVICES:
• Passive Static Brushes work by IONIZATION (of the air) and INDUCTION and NOT
by CONDUCTION
• Physical contact between the static eliminator and the charged sheet of paper is
not necessary
• The electric field created by the static charge is concentrated at the SHARP POINTS
of the Brush Fibers, much like a ‘Lightning Rod’, causing the air to break down or
ionize (at ~ 3000 V/mm) and transport the charge away from the paper
• Fiber Diameter and the Distance to the Sheet are ‘Limiting Factors’
• With brushes, the ionizing effect is somewhat uncontrolled
If the Static Charge on the sheet is high enough, the energy concentrated on the
points will induce ionization
The static charge must exceed several thousand volts for ionization to be created
using a static control device
The Charge on the sheet is reduced until it no longer supports ionization of the air
• Static control devices can also be used in contact with the various Media Handling
Elements such as Shafts, Rollers, Baffles and the like to provide a path to ground,
neutralizing Static on isolated conductors
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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology

FIBER GENERAL ELIMINATION FIBER

MATERIAL ATTRIBUTE RATING STRENGTH

• Most Brittle Fibers

• NOT Recommended
Smallest Diameter Fibers for Applications
Most Effective Contacting Paper
Carbon ≈  7 m Material within the IOT
Fibers are Brittle • Conductive Fiber
Debris could Short
Charge Devices

Larger Diameter Fibers • Good Fiber Strength

Stainless
Steel ≈  12 m Good • Fibers may take a Set
Fibers are Stronger if in Excessive Contact

• Resilient Fibers
Conductive Largest Fiber Diameter Least Effective • May take a Moderate
Acrylic of 3 Material Set if in Excessive
Contact

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology

TYPICAL PASSIVE BRUSH DIMENSIONS

≈ 5 - 10 mm

Fiber
7 – 10 mm
Bundles

5 - 10mm Holder

3 – 5 mm

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology

IMPLEMENTATION OF PASSIVE STATIC ELIMINATOR

TECHNOLOGY

o Options for Brush Locations along the Paper Path

o Nearby Ground Planes
o Brush Mounting Rules
o Rules for Testing

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
WHERE TO LOCATE PASSIVE ELIMINATORS IN AN IOT MEDIA PATH:
Some options to consider
Not all may be necessary, all of the time
1 2 3 4 7

6 5

# LOCATION TO REMOVE IMPORTANCE

1 After the Feeder Feeder Static before Reg Only If Needed
2 Post Reg / Pre Transfer Static before Transfer Only If Needed
3 Post Fuser Fuser Static High
4 Pre Inverter Static before Inversion Only If Needed
5 Duplex Path - Post Invert Inverter Static Moderate
6 Duplex Path - Pre Reg Duplex Path Static before Reg Only If Needed
7 Post Exit Nip Static going into O/P Tray High
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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
PASSIVE BRUSH MOUNTING
WHAT TO AVOID, . . . ?
NEARBY GROUND PLANES!
Baffle Material falling within the R15 mm Zone
[measured from the Fiber Tip] can limit the Field
Line Density available for Discharging the Sheet

Baffle

Sheet

If necessary to eliminate Static

from both sides of a Sheet,
The Brushes should be Staggered OK
NOT Opposed

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
IMPROPER PASSIVE BRUSH MOUNTING
Brush Mount R15 to R25 mm clear zone around Fiber Tip

R15 mm min
NO Clear of Ground Planes

Baffle NO

Paper
NO
Brush Eliminator
R15 mm min
Clear of Ground Planes
NO

NO
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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
RECOMMENDED PASSIVE BRUSH MOUNTING

R15 to R25 mm clear zone around Fiber Tip

Brush Eliminator R15 mm Min
Clear of Ground Planes

 7 mm Max Gap to Paper

Brush is GROUNDED
Brush Mount
R15 mm Min
Clear of Ground Planes
Baffle

Paper
 2 mm Max Penetration of Paper

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
RECOMMENDED PASSIVE BRUSH MOUNTING
While these Ribs violate the R15 mm Rule,
their effect on Sheet Discharge is minimal
and the Paper Guidance is necessary to
R15 mm Min
bridge the Baffless Gap
Clear of Ground Planes

Ribs

Ribs

Passive Brush Eliminator

Ribs Sheet

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology

GENERAL RULES FOR STATIC CONTROL:

• ALWAYS Ground the Brush
• Remember the R15 mm Rule
R25 is even better if possible
• Ground Paper Path Elements such as Baffles, Guides, Shafts, etc
• Use Brushes to Ground Problematic Rollers, Shafts, etc
• NEVER use a CONDUCTIVE CARBON Brush INSIDE of the IOT Media
Path in a ‘CONTACTING THE PAPER’ Application
• Use Conductive Materials whenever possible
• Ribs on Baffles and Guides can reduce Sheet Charging by
Minimizing the Sliding Contact Area with the Sheet
• Minimize Nip Roller Width and their Number to reduce Charging
• Align the Nip Rollers in the Media Path

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology

MEASURING STATIC CHARGE

o General Rules for testing

o Methods
o Faraday Cage

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology
GENERAL RULES FOR STATIC TESTING:
• Static is always a Problem in a Media Path but it is most
serious in Cool and Dry Environments [especially RH < 40%]
• Control the %RH when evaluating Static Control Measures
• Static Problems will vary with Media so CONTROL the
Media [paper type, size, brand] if results are to be
compared between tests
• Use a Faraday Cage to Measure Sheet Charge Levels
Use Insulated ‘Tongs’ to handle the Sheets
DO NOT allow the sheet to be Grounded when removing it
to be measured

• An Electrometer can be used to measure Static Charge

Levels within a Media Path
The Distance to the Paper MUST BE CONTROLLED if results
are to be compared
Watch out for Interference from Ground Planes

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 Media Handling Engineering and Technology

TWO IMPORTANT POINTS: Courtesy of Pete Knausdorf - Xerox

• The capacitor values must be measured values that are used in the formula for charge
• You must use a suitable Keithly meter or other meter with super high impedance
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