Packaging
Meech aims for clean sweep with Sherclean
Friday 06. August 2010 - Meech International has strengthened its position as a major supplier of web cleaning technologies with the launch of ShearClean, a non-contact system that is suitable for sectors ranging from narrow web label printing (litho, gravure, flexo) and converting to food packaging and pharmaceutical applications. ShearClean is also highly effective when used in applications involving coating. (To find out morevisit booth 357 at Labelexpo).
“The addition of ShearClean opens a whole new range of applications where contact cleaning systems are not feasible,” says Matt Fyffe, VP/General Manager of Meech Static Eliminators USA Inc. “This could include substrates with surfaces that are prone to scratching as well as those featuring special coatings or decorative labels destined for premium consumer goods.
“ShearCleans principle of operation is unique in the markets we are targeting. We believe its ease of installation, effectiveness in removing dust and debris from an extensive range of materials and its low running costs will make ShearClean highly attractive to companies operating in a variety of sectors.”
ShearClean can be supplied for use with reel widths up to 70 inches (1.8m) and web speeds of up to 1,475 feet per minute (450m/minute) as standard. Faster speeds may be achieved by adjusting factory settings. The system can be used to clean materials as diverse as paper or film. Printers wanting to remove debris from the web prior to printing could fit ShearClean before the first unit, while pre-printed reels could be cleaned before packaging.
ShearClean incorporates two cotton-covered rollers, which are positioned 0.5 to 1.0mm on either side of the web. The rollers spin at high speed – 4,000 RPM and upwards – in the opposite direction to the travel of the web. The air currents generated break up the boundary layer on the surface of the web, allowing ShearCleans highly effective vacuum system to remove even extremely small particles that would otherwise be trapped in that layer.
ShearClean can be tailored to suit customers requirements, not just in terms of size but also in sophistication. For instance, Meech can provide different upgrades to create a fully programmable unit. The company has also deployed its longstanding expertise in static control to incorporate static control facilities into ShearClean, which significantly improves the effectiveness of the cleaning process and greatly reduces the risk of re-attraction of contaminants to the cleaned web surfaces.