Running matallized Film

Hi we are laminating sheets with a silver metallized film in house, but we are having static problems when trying to run it through our GL540c. Does anybody have any advice on how to eliminate the static from the metallized sheets. We know that we would probably need to change our air blowers on the feeder head to Ionised blowers, but what I am actually asking is does anybody know how to eliminate the static issue before we load the sheets onto the press. When we get silver metallized sheets from our paper supplier we don't have any issues and we manage to run the sheets through with normal blowers and they run through as per any normal paper? Any advice please!!!

 

The ionized blowers would be a good start. Misters in the area where you store, and in the areas surrounding the press feeder would help too. A workaround for the misters, would be to soak some press rags in water, and drape them wherever you can around the feeder, avoiding of course areas where the wet rags would drip on the sheet. You could also spread a little standing water on the floor around the press feeder, being careful avoiding slip and fall injuries. Ive used tinsel with pretty good success, and have used the areosol static eliminators with not much success at all.
Considering the high cost of these metallic foils and other similar substrates, I would suggest you stage delivery of these substrates, so that they can go to press within a couple of weeks of the sheets corona, or plasma treatment. If you dyne test the stock upon delivery and it comes up with a dyne greater than around 50 Id be sending it back. Insist from your supplier that the stock has received a recent corona, or plasma treatment, and has not been sitting in a warehouse for too long after its treatment, as the treatment does tend to dissipate with time. Let your supplier know that you will be dyne testing and returning any stock thats not within acceptable specs. The correct dyne of the stock will not only help you with the static, but will also, and of greater importance, render the surface of the stock receptive to ink!!!
Im assuming after all this that you've made it a point to use the correct inks and coatings for this type of printing???