If the unit is to be located at a bench, operator comfort is important. Others have speed controls for the fans to tailor the airflow. Lights are sometimes incorporated with the ionizer to add additional illumination to the bench. Top of the line models will generally have some form of electronically controlled balance indicator to display the status of the ionizer, as well as automatic shutdown protection in the event of a problem. Some ionizers even have indicators signaling when cleaning or maintenance is required.
Maintenance is a requirement on virtually all ionizers to assure continued performance.
Contamination will collect on the sharp emitter points, which must be cleaned away on a regular schedule. The contaminant build-up on the emitter can normally be removed with a soft brush, however, sometimes a more thorough cleaning is necessary using a swab and alcohol to remove tough deposits. The cleaning frequency is different for every application, however, the interval can be determined by using a charged plate analyzer. This piece of equipment is made specifically for evaluating ionizers. In addition to measuring balance of the ionized field, the analyzer will measure the decay performance.