Technical Articles

You may already know something about the benefits of plasma treatment; higher treatment (dyne) levels, extended life of treatment over time, reduced degradation of surface morphology and elimination of backside treatment...

Enercon's Plasma3™ atmospheric plasma treatment system can be integrated within the production processes of manufacturers of passive and long-range battery-tag RFID systems operating in the UHF and microwave frequency bands.

APT technology provides treatment of nonwoven substrates at low temperature while operating at atmospheric pressure. The wettability of various synthetic and natural fibers has been dramatically increased by this process. Electron microscopy has shown that the surfaces of fibers after atmospheric plasma treatment are clean, uniform and consistent, confirming that APT is homogeneous.

Years ago, corona treating technology was pretty simple and straightforward. There were two types of corona treating systems to choose from: Covered Roll systems and Bare Roll systems. Since that time ceramic coated ground rolls have revolutionized bare roll systems.

Every corona treater configuation produces a unique treatment signature. Tom Gilbertson breaks down the differences between corona generated by various corona treater designs and why converters prefer high definition corona that provides application benefits and superior adhesion results.

You’ll learn about the 3 most common mistakes when it comes to maintaining your corona treater, the number one way to increase the life of your electrodes and rolls and tips from industry experts on the best practices to reduce scrap and increase productivity.

An accurate cost assessment of any piece of converting equipment ought to include a review of installation cost. Proper planning will eliminate avoidable variables that create project delays, allow installation costs to soar, and weigh heavily on your peace of mind.

A little attention to handling thin gauge film in and out of the corona treater makes a big difference. Fierce converting competition and the continued development of thin web materials are generating a lot of phone calls to Enercon. Recently I've fielded several calls from customers running thin gauge film. I'm sure some of you are dealing with the same issues they are, so let me share some thoughts on what we know about running lightweight film through a surface treater...

Have you ever lost a job to a competitor and wondered how they got their price so low? Or is the guy across town expanding because they're able to offer product's your company can't? Corona treating may be the reason in both of these cases.

You can lead an application to technology but that doesn't mean it will work. There are a host of surface treating technologies available, but ultimately your application will determine which technology is best.

One of the most common questions asked by film extruders and converters is which roll covering is best for their application. You might be surprised at the variety of choices when it comes to selecting a roll covering.In this article we’ll provide the basic facts about four types of roll coverings and then conclude with some application information that may affect your choice.

Dyne levels are a great indicator of your chance for adhesion success. But dyne level does not guarantee adhesion. Take a look at a few factors that affect adhesion results.

Think of the choices you have when it comes to selecting tires for your car. You would not put racing tires on a vehicle you will be taking off-road. Likewise components such as roll coverings and electrodes have specific dielectric properties that work together to optimize performance.

Traditionally film extrusion lines utilize a metal electrode and covered roll configuration. However there are exceptions. Some companies choose a bare roll system to eliminate any roll covering concerns. While others have selected a new Plasma3™ atmospheric plasma system for their extruded film applications.

Spice up your recipe for extrusion bonding success, 3 parts corona, 2 parts ozone and 1 part flame. As a professional in the extrusion industry you can probably relate the family recipe analogy to the "secrets" your company employs to make the ultimate laminating bond. Many companies have found the combination of ozone and corona to be a devastating combination when it comes to improving extrusion applications.

Enercon control panel designs which are configured to simplify installation, provide maximum operational flexibility, and put smiles on the faces of your Production Manager and Chief Financial Officer.

Most companies will recognize atmospheric plasma as a highly effective technology for improving ink adhesion for printing on plastics such as polypropylene. However atmospheric plasma’s ability to clean, etch, functionalize, and otherwise improve both conductive and non-conductive surfaces is driving the technology into new markets and applications.

Your organization has probably seen its share of recent downsizing. And your resources are spread about as thin as can be. As you look to do more with less it can be a difficult time to justify an investment in new equipment. But how much is that old equipment really costing you? And how smart are you when it comes time to make repairs?

More science and less art makes printing operations more profitable. Steve Utschig is a man of science. Not that he has anything against art. In fact, he helps people print works of art. but he knows a scientific approach to printing leads to repeatability. And repeatability breeds profitability.

Is your line layout hampering your blown film surface treatment? Learn the optimal layout for surface treatment.

Traditionally film extrusion lines utilize a metal electrode and covered roll configuration. However there are exceptions. Some companies choose a Bare Roll system to eliminate any roll covering concerns. While others have selected a new Plasma3™ atmospheric plasma system for their extruded film applications.

Only you can prevent backside treatment. The bad news is that backside treatment mitigates the effects of surface treating. In some cases it results in under treatment of substrates. The good news is that backside treatment is easy to understand and prevent.

Put your rubber mallet and 2x4 away if you're serious about high performance covered roll systems! Believe it or not I've been in plants where a rubber mallet and a 2x4 are required tools for adjusting the segments on a corona treater. If you don't understand why this isn't a good idea, call me (262-255-6070) and I'd be happy to discuss the importance of a consistent air gap.

The packaging industries within North America and Western Europe consume the majority of the aluminum sheet and foil for making beverage cans, flexible packaging and foil wraps. The choice of alloy for these applications typically predetermines properties such as strength, formability and resistance to corrosion.  A knowledge of the influence of the starting stock surface condition, surface condition of the olls and lubrication used, along with an understanding of the effect of roll coatings, tension levelers and other coil management related variables is key.

Many printers are learning that there are several advantages to be gained from adding in-line surface treatment to their process. These printers are innovative leaders that are proactive in taking control of their printing processes.

Ever wonder how 3D surface treating works or what it actually does to the product you are treating? Here's your chance. We'll discuss how air (corona) plasma and flame plasma treating methods.

"That film you sent me was supposed to be 42 dynes! I can't convert this stuff and I've got orders due!!!", exclaims the exasperated converter. "Hold on  a minute, I'm sure we shipped you film that was 42 dynes, let me look into this," contends the film producer. When dyne levels are insufficient, it's a problem for everyone. And in most cases finding the cause(s) is a bit more complicated than pointing fingers.

Why the question "Why?" is your most powerful Flexographic printing tool? Want to learn more about your flexographic printing process? Want your operators to have more control over the press? Then learn the power of asking "why"?

Air plasma surface treating systems are divided into two categories; blown arc and blown ion. Enercon's blown arc technology is represented by the Dyne-A-Mite HP™. The Dyne-A-Mite IT™ is Enercon's blown ion surface treater.

The ultimate goal of any surface treatment system is to increase surface tension measured in dynes which then increases the wettability and adhesion characteristics of the surface. This allows you to add value to the substrate through printing, laminating, coating etc.

Corona treating increases the surface energy of plastic films, foils and paper to improve wettability and adhesion of inks, coatings and adhesives. Treating works best when a substrate is treated at the time of extrusion and in-line prior to converting. Corona treating increases quality and productivity through improved print quality, faster press speeds and less scrap. Read on for more details.