Sharpen your skills at ICE USA 2015
- Published: January 29, 2015, By Kelly Robinson
You’ll be able to see the latest technologies from many of the world’s top companies. And, you have at least three different opportunities to sharpen you technical skills.
1. Ask the Experts – Six leading experts in converting technologies will be available for 15 minute 1-1 discussions.
2. CEMA Fundamentals Seminars - The Converting Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA) is presenting their CEMA Fundamentals Seminars.
3. ICE USA Conference sponsored by AIMCAL – The Association of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (AIMCAL) has organized an excellent technical program.
The Ask the Experts is an opportunity to learn more about converting technologies in 1-1 discussions. I would be honored to talk with you about static electricity. Asking a quick question on the exhibition can be difficult because there are many activities. Holding someone’s attention for more than a minute can be frustrating. And, with all of the hubbub at a large exhibition like ICE, I find it hard to focus on one topic for more than a few seconds. So setting aside 15 minutes in a comfortable room with closed doors provides a perfect venue for a discussion. Perhaps there is a specific static problem in one of your operations. I can help you define a plan to solve the problem. Or, maybe you just have a question or you have received conflicting advice. I’d be happy to talk with you and help sort things out.
The CEMA Fundamentals Seminars are valuable for both those who are new to converting and for seasoned engineers. Individual seminars are presented on a variety of converting topics at an overview level. For those who are new to converting, the CEMA Fundamentals Seminars are excellent introductions to the diverse technologies that together enable efficient and reliable coating, drying, slitting and rewinding operations. For seasoned engineers, presentations in your areas of expertise are welcome refreshers that reinforce and perhaps deepen your skills. And, the rest of the seminars provide great introductions to “adjacent” technologies strengthening your understanding of the big picture.
The Seminars are organized into 2 concurrent tracks; Coating & Drying, and Slitting & Rewinding. The Coating & Drying track presents 15 seminars, each 30 minutes, on solution delivery, surface treatments, coating methods, defects, drying, inspection systems, web tension, winding, static electricity. The Slitting & Rewinding track presents 11 seminars, each either 30 or 45 minutes on unwinding, tension control, web guiding, spreading, slitting, winding and static electricity.
I present “Dealing with Static Electricity” in the Coating & Drying track. My colleague Matt Fyffe, Meech International, presents “Static Electricity” in the Slitting & Rewinding track.
The ICE USA Conference is a comprehensive educational program. Come and listen to 30 minute presentations by leading experts. I’ll be talking about “Static Control Best Practices for Converting and Printing.” Historically, static control has focused on dissipating static only where problems occur; in solvent coating enclosures and at winding rolls. In this presentation, I show that effective static control is achieved by protecting sensitive operations with two levels of protection. Certainly, we need to dissipate static charges on webs entering problem areas of our operations. I call this the “inner circle” of protection. The second layer of protection is the “outer circle” where we dissipate static at the sources of charging. This 2-layer strategy maintains good static control even when something goes wrong, and one layer of protection fails.
We’ve planned time for a short discussion at the end of each presentation so you’ll have a chance to ask questions and listen to short discussions about key elements of the presentations.
Getting better every day is in the DNA of business. ICE USA 2015 offers great opportunities to get better at converting technologies. I’m looking forward to great events in Orlando where I will learn new things. I hope to see you there!
