Meech launches non-contact web cleaning system

Meech International, a manufacturer of web cleaning products, has launched 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 suited to applications involving coating. 

‘The addition of ShearClean opens a whole new range of applications where contact cleaning systems are not feasible,’ said Matt Fyffe, VP and general manager of Meech Static Eliminators USA. ‘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.  

‘ShearClean’s 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 ShearClean’s vacuum system to remove even extremely small particles that would otherwise be trapped in that layer. The system can be customized to meet individual needs.  

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