Grounding - Static problem

[Graphics2u]

I have a Mutoh Ultima cutter that runs on USB. I have a USB Mouse. The 2 of them do not play well together when the air is drier in the shop. When the cutter unrolls vinyl it creates static and last year it got so bad that I could hear it snapping and popping from the static as it would be cutting. Figured out that when I would hear those static sparks My mouse would freeze up. Sometimes just for a second or two sometimes permanently. Have to then unplug and plug it back in then it was fine until the next time which could be in 10 seconds or 10 minutes.

I helped it greatly by wrapping a bare copper wire around the supply roll shafts on the cutter and grounding it to the cutters frame so that as the shaft turned it was grounded. But this year it's back with a vengeance! Nothing I do seems to make a difference. Checked the machines ground and seems good. Irritating me greatly!!!

Any ideas??

 

[HaroldDesign]

For around $100 you can get a humidifier that you can set to the humidity you're looking for (30% to 50% probably) and has auto on/off. It helps!

 

[BobbyFosson]

You might try a static string... see here

http://www.stopstatic.com/stringproducts.html

 

[The Equipment Guy]

Just asking the obvious question as well (others have suggested good fixes) but your printer is not on carpet, nor do you walk on carpet from where you store the vinyl to where you load it? I have had customers put Anti static roll mats under their printers (like the ones that office chairs roll around on) to help with static as well.

craig

 

[Graphics2u]

For around $100 you can get a humidifier that you can set to the humidity you're looking for (30% to 50% probably) and has auto on/off. It helps!

I have one. Runs about 35% -40% this time of year. And it does help alot.

You might try a static string... see here

http://www.stopstatic.com/stringproducts.html

I'll look into that, Thanks!

Just asking the obvious question as well (others have suggested good fixes) but your printer is not on carpet, nor do you walk on carpet from where you store the vinyl to where you load it? I have had customers put Anti static roll mats under their printers (like the ones that office chairs roll around on) to help with static as well.

It is on carpet. That's Bad huh? Are those mats special ones for static or are they all that way?

 

[The Equipment Guy]

Either would help but there are grounded mats as well, yes carpet is bad, I have found ceramic is best. Some people have just laid some snap flooring over carpet.

Craig

 

[V-ENGRAVE]

Your local electronics store would have "Static grounding mats"
You can also check out mega store on their web site:
www dot digikey dot com

BTW I would definitely take it of the carpet. If the carpet is wall to wall you can get sheet of metal, lay it under cutter and ground it.