Compact plasma integration for production lines

PiezoBrush PZ3-i

Compact plasma integration as industry standard of the future

The PiezoBrush PZ3-i cold plasma unit is designed for integration into new and existing production lines and is therefore compact, safe and efficient. It is particularly well suited for the pre-treatment of processes such as bonding, printing and laminating, thus ensuring process and product quality in equal measure. Due to its uniquely compact and robust design, the PiezoBrush PZ3-i can be quickly and easily integrated into production lines as well as partially to fully automated systems. In addition, comprehensive process control is possible in automated production processes, ensuring traceability. The device is also intuitive to operate and can be maintained without tools.

The compact plasma integration piezobrush® PZ3-i
piezobrush® PZ3-i with Module Nearfield
piezobrush® PZ3-i modularity

Applications

  • Inkjet, marking and pad printing
  • Bonding processes with epoxy, polyurethane and cyanoacrylates etc.
  • Potting and dispensing technology
  • Joining and assembly technology
  • Laboratory and medical technology
  • Packaging technology
  • Microbiology, microfluid and food technology

Fields of application

  • Activation of surfaces of a wide variety of base materials
  • Optimization of bonding, printing and lamination processes
  • Surface treatment of plastics, glasses, ceramics, metals, composites and natural materials
  • Selective improvement of the wettability of a wide variety of surfaces
  • Fine cleaning of surfaces
  • Alternative to chemical primers, flame treatment processes and mechanical roughening

Application examples

Plasma-Vorbehandlung beim Kennzeichnungsdruck von PTFE-Gewebe: Betatest-Bericht zum piezobrush® PZ3-i eines Testkunden

piezobrush® PZ3-i beta test report

A market-leading company in the development, production and distribution of surface treatment tooling solutions uses the new piezobrush® PZ3-i in conjunction with the KEYENCE MK-G1000SA continuous inkjet printer to safely and effectively mark PTFE fabrics.

PiezoBrush PZ3-i in our Online Shop

Technical data PiezoBrush PZ3-i

  • Electrical connection: 24 V DC
  • Power consumption: max. 18 W
  • Weight: 370 g
  • Design: Integration unit with gas connection
  • Plasma temperature: < 50 °C
  • Typical treatment speeds:
    • Finest cleaning: 1-15 mm/s
    • Bonding processes: 10-150 mm/s
    • Printing processes: 100-1500 mm/s
  • Typical treatment distance: 2 – 10 mm
  • Typical treatment width: 5 – 29 mm

Modularity

With an average treatment width of 5 – 29 mm (CDA), the PiezoBrush PZ3-i is very well suited for the pre-treatment of adhesive grooves or for marking printing on low-energy materials. However, with other process gases such as nitrogen, even treatment widths of up to 50 mm are possible. For many applications, however, even larger treatment widths are required. Thanks to the modular design, it is very easy to string together the individual units at any time, so that even larger treatment widths can be individually adapted to the application.

piezobrush® PZ3-i modularity

Modules

Different surfaces have to be activated with the appropriate accessories to achieve an ideal result. Currently two different modules are available for the PiezoBrush PZ3-i plasma handheld device. The PDD technology used to generate the cold plasma in PiezoBrush PZ3-i is based on the discharge of high electric fields. Therefore, the electrical conductivity of the component to be treated is of decisive importance when choosing the modules.

Modules

Modules in our Online Shop

Connection cables for PiezoBrush PZ3-i

This optional accessory set for the PiezoBrush PZ3-i consists of a DC connection cable, a communication connection cable and a gas hose. Each cable is 10 m long. The accessory set is available in the onlineshop.

Connection cables
Connection cables piezobrush® PZ3-i

Advantages

  • Ease of maintenance: module change without tools, basically rarely maintenance required
  • Modularity: modules matched to the application and substrate material, multiple units can be connected in series
  • Communication and process safety: monitoring by plasma OK signal whether module is in permissible operating point, extremely low temperature input on the materials (no thermal overtreatment of substrates possible), digital I/O signal, LED status display, low flow velocities for temperature-sensitive materials and lightweight components, optional: BUS communication available (module history can be read out)
  • Work safety: touch safety (no light barrier or mechanical enclosure required), generally no personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary, very low nitrogen oxides
  • Integration: power supply by low voltage (24 V), low weight enables low-cost robot units, easy to integrate, compact design (separability of module carrier and driver unit), also suitable for small installation space, easy to implement hardware interfaces
  • Environmental friendliness: energy efficiency (max. 18 W), very low consumption of process gases (10 l/min), very environmentally harmful processes such as chemical primer or flame treatment processes are replaced
  • Very good price-performance ratio: low operating costs, customer-friendly initial costs
  • Low-threshold process validation due to compatibility with handheld device: identical core components and performance class

FAQ

What treatment widths are typically achieved?
The treatment width depends on the process gas used. When using compressed air, an average treatment width of 2 – 29 mm is achieved, depending on the module. With nitrogen, treatment widths of up to 50 mm are possible. Larger treatment widths are also possible by arranging several units.
How high should the extraction rate be (in m³/h)?
The recommended gas flow through the unit is 8 – 20 sl/min. The extraction rate should be approximately ten times the total gas flow. Thus, the extraction rate should be at least 6 m³/h.
How long can the plasma treated parts be stored before further processing?
The time taken for plasma activation to decrease (hydrophobic recovery) varies greatly. It is based on three main influencing factors: the plasma treatment (e.g. selection of process gas and plasma solution), the nature of the treated substrate and the storage conditions (e.g. temperature, relative humidity). Further processing should therefore take place as soon as possible after plasma treatment.
Can all devices be controlled together in a line-up solution or must each device be controlled individually?
Both are possible. The control depends on the individual integration solution. In the case of the simpler communication by means of switching signals, each device must be provided with its own communication line and controlled with its own switching signals.
When using digital bus communication via the CANopen protocol, the devices can be provided with short communication lines (“daisy-chain”) and only one “long” communication line is required. The control of individual devices, groups or all devices simultaneously can then be solved in many ways by the customer via programming.
What is the temperature of the generated plasma?
A cold-active plasma with a temperature of less than 50°C is generated.
Is it possible to overtreat the surface?
Due to the low temperature of the generated plasma, an overtreatment as it often occurs with conventional plasma systems due to thermal stress is not possible with most modules. Only with the Needle Module is a more concentrated temperature input possible.
Is continuous operation of the unit possible?
JYes, the unit has been specially designed for 24/7 use. For manual use we recommend the PiezoBrush PZ3.
At what speed does the plasma treatment take place?
The treatment speed depends on the application, the substrate and other process parameters. For fine cleaning, a speed of approximately 1 – 50 mm/s is achieved, for bonding 10 – 150 mm/s and for printing processes 100 – 1,500 mm/s.
Can error sources (temperature / plasma) during plasma treatment also be determined via the I/O interface or only via the LED display?
The LEDs directly access the internal electronics of the unit. With this solution, a separate pin is required for each signal. However, with the digital BUS communication it is also possible to read out the error messages in detail directly via the communication line.
Can electronic components also be treated with it without hesitation?
The treatment of electronic components with PiezoBrush technology must be tested in advance. High electric fields occur during plasma generation, which can damage electronic components.
What is the purpose of changing the rotation angle of the module carrier?
In the case of the Standard and Nearfield Modules, the plasma discharge is strongest at the corners, which can negatively affect the homogeneity of the plasma treatment. By rotating the module, a more uniform treatment of the substrate is achieved. For optimum homogeneity at maximum treatment width, please select an angle of 45°. For optimum homogeneity at maximum treatment intensity, please select an angle of 14°/76° (depending on the direction of travel).
Can the device be used on all materials?
Basically, all materials can be treated with the PiezoBrush PZ3-i. However, the correct module must be selected depending on the material; the conductivity of the material or assembly is decisive here. For non-conductive materials such as most plastics, the Standard or Needle Module is used. For conductive materials such as metal, on the other hand, the Nearfield or Nearfield Needle Module is used. If conductive materials are covered by non-conductive ones, treatment with the Nearfield or Nearfield Needle Module should also be considered.
How safe is it to work with the PiezoBrush PZ3-i?
The highly efficient plasma discharge requires very little power and is therefore harmless even when in contact with skin. A risk due to resulting gas emissions can be excluded by operating the device with an appropriate extraction unit. Ozone quantities of more than 0.2 mg/m³ can be generated.

Downloads

DescriptionLanguageDownload
Manual PiezoBrush PZ3-iEN/DEManual in English and German
Manual PiezoBrush PZ3-iFRManual in French
Manual PiezoBrush PZ3-iESManual in Spanish
Manual PiezoBrush PZ3-iITManual in Italian
Manual PiezoBrush PZ3-iCNManual in Chinese
Manual PiezoBrush PZ3-iJPManual in Japanese
Documents for PiezoBrush PZ3-i CAN Integration (EDS file, Device Document)ENDocuments for CAN Integration
Flyer PiezoBrush PZ3-iENFlyer
Comparison PiezoBrush PZ2-i and PiezoBrush PZ3-iENFlyer
Press release PiezoBrush PZ3-iFRPress release
Paper: Application of Nitrogen Piezoelectric Direct Discharge
ENPaper
Whitepaper PiezoBrush PZ3: endurance test for standard moduleENWhitepaper
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