New non-contact web cleaning system
June 27th 2008

By presenting the new ShearClean non-contact web cleaning concept at this years’ Drupa exhibition, Meech International has taken an important step in providing the converting industry with more positive choices for their web cleaning applications. The new ShearClean incorporates state of the art design with well-established aerodynamic and fluid dynamic technologies to provide end-users with a system that achieves a high level of cleaning efficiency without physical contact. The use of patent pending technology in this non-contact system eliminates the risks of surface marking and damage and additionally, there is no interference with web tension or web tracking.

The Meech ShearClean system comprises two main components – a cleaning head incorporating proprietary 'non-contact' cleaning rollers and ionising bars for static control and a compact vacuum extraction system. The hinged manifold design allows easy opening for threading of the web, while its compact size means it can fit in places where space is limited. This new ShearClean concept has many key advantages, particularly for companies wanting to remove contamination from plastic films. The non-contact technology eliminates the risk of both surface marking, commonly seen on plastic films, and web tracking problems. Minimum maintenance is required and running costs are also reduced as there is no need for costly consumables such as replacement tack rolls.

Within the cleaning head, the proprietary rollers operate at a high rotational velocity close to the surface of the web. The roller design has been optimised to generate a high speed boundary layer of air. The greater energy of this layer destroys the boundary layer associated with the incoming web, exposing even the smallest particles to the powerful cleaning force. The low pressure, high velocity region created by the roller lifts and removes the contamination from the web and carries the particles to the vacuum extraction chamber.

ShearClean is the latest addition to the Meech range of web cleaning systems that includes the renowned Series 1000, a system that is already prove in a wide range of applications throughout the world.

The versatile Meech Series 1000 system has been installed on many manufacturing process lines to help improve efficiency and productivity.

In India, TechNova manufactures offset plates as part of an ongoing partnership with Agfa-Gevaert N.V. and is a world leader in the supply of printing products throughout the world. With the purchase and installation of 2 Series 1000 web cleaning manifold systems from Meech International, TechNova has now further improved quality and reduced reject rates on its production line.

Lamination is an important part of the TechNova manufacturing process as the aluminium litho plates need to be coated with a protective film to ensure they can stand up to the toughest printing environments. However, it is of vital importance that the film is kept clean, as any contamination would lead to poor and unacceptable quality.

Combining Meech’s expertise in static control and dust control systems, the versatile and modular Series 1000 web cleaning system can be installed in a variety of web cleaning applications to ensure first class quality.

The manifolds perform three critical functions. Firstly the static elimination bars break the electrostatic charges holding dust particles on to the web. Secondly, the brushes remove even the smallest of particles. Finally the specially developed vacuum control plate gives complete coverage of the material surface, removing contaminants to a very high degree of efficiency.

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