Meech International has launched the 904CM, a highly effective monitoring unit for its AC ionizing systems of which many thousands are in use in the graphic arts, packaging, converting, plastic and pharmaceutical industries. Visitors to the booth can hear about a wide range of recently developed Meech static control products, while the company will also be showing the new ShearClean non-contact web cleaning system and the Tornado F5 contact web cleaning system.
“Today, companies want to monitor the performance of static control systems so cleaning can be carried out when needed, without incurring unnecessary stoppages to the production line or press,” says Matt Fyffe, VP/General Manager of Meech Static Eliminators USA Inc. “Visually, it’s difficult to tell whether bars need dirt and paper dust removed and usually the first signs are problems in quality or throughput levels because static levels have become too high.
“Because contamination is affected by the stock and running conditions it is difficult to set the frequency of cleaning in advance. To provide even greater peace of mind to the operator, 904CM includes spark detection circuitry, which gives immediate detection of any damage to the high voltage cabling or ionizing bar.”
The new 904CM system is straightforward to fit and operate, and provides accurate monitoring of the performance of the emitter pins incorporated within the ionizing bars. The system consists of a power unit and monitor. The amber and red LEDs have adjustable percentage trigger points that can be set by the customer, while the analogue output means that the output of the bars can be monitored off-line and the data logged for future analysis.
The recent launch of ShearClean means that Meech has both non contact and contact web cleaning systems in its product portfolio, so customers can ensure they have the best solution for the type of materials they handle.
“ShearClean is a non-contact system suitable for sectors ranging from narrow web label printing, including litho, gravure and flexo, as well as converting, food packaging and pharmaceutical applications,” says Matt Fyffe. “ShearClean opens the door to a whole new range of applications where contact cleaning systems are not feasible.
“This could include substrates with surfaces that are prone to scratching, special coatings or decorative labels destined for premium consumer goods. ShearClean is also highly effective when used in applications involving coating. 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 attractive to many companies seeking to improve productivity.”
ShearClean can be supplied for use with reel widths up to 60 inches (1.5 m) and web speeds of up to 1,500 feet per minute (450 m/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 can be tailored to suit customers’ requirements, not just in terms of width but also in sophistication. For instance, Meech can provide different control upgrades to create a fully programmable unit. The company has also deployed its longstanding expertise in static control to incorporate the latest AC ionizing bars into ShearClean, which significantly improve the effectiveness of the cleaning process and greatly reduce the risk of re-attraction of contaminants to the cleaned web surfaces.
The latest Tornado F5 contact web cleaner is the result of experience gained from more than 200 successful Tornado installations around the world. The system is aimed at wide web contact cleaning and can be used in a single-sided configuration with web widths from 65 inches (1,660 mm) and double-sided configuration from 30 inches (760 mm). The Tornado F5 is designed to overcome unacceptable quality causing high reject rates, excessive blanket washing and dirty webs resulting in loss of profit or customer dissatisfaction.