Air ionization is used to reduce the charge from process essential insulators and isolated conductor that cannot be grounded. ESD sensitive devices can be damaged when they contact charged conductors or if they are grounded in the presence of an electrostatic field. Air ionization creates a cloud of positive and negative ions that neutralize the charge on objects that cannot be effectively connected to ground.
Two of the more popular types of ionizers used today are AC and Steady State DC. While both technologies are effective in neutralizing charges, AC Technology offers some distinct advantages. Both technologies use power supplies to apply high voltage to sharp emitter points. Positive high voltage creates positive ions and negative voltage creates negative ions. Both AC and DC ionizers require air flow to effective move the ions away from the emitter points and to the target area.
DC Ionizers
DC Technology incorporates dedicated negative and positive power supplies as well as negative and positive emitter points for creating a balance of ions. The high voltage applied to the emitter points causes wear and particle attraction, however the wear is not equal between the two polarities. The voltage must be adjusted to one emitter point to assure equal ion production, which requires a more costly voltage monitoring circuit in the ionizer. DC ionizer emitter points also require more frequent cleaning as oppositely charged particles are attracted to the emitter points and the balance of ion output needs to be monitored more frequently.
AC Ionizers
AC Ionizers use a single power supply that switches between positive and negative voltage and each emitter point produces both positive and negative ions. Alternating positive and negative voltage to each emitter point creates even wear and significantly less particle attraction, which makes maintaining even balance much easier and less expensive.
Transforming Technologies offers a variety of high quality, high performance AC ionizers with ion balance of ±10 volts, which is well below the industry standard of <±35 volts. Styles range from Benchtop (BFN series, IN series), Overhead (BFN, IN), Ionizing guns (BFN, IN), Nozzles (IN) and bars (Scion). View the Transforming Technologies website to see our complete range of ionization.