Causes
- Contamination due to e.g. dust, off-cuts, abrasion
- Seasonal foreign matter such as insects or pollen dust
- Particles attracted due to static charge
Effects
- Foreign bodies lead to product rejects
- Damage to the product
- Interference with downstream processes (e.g. lamination, printing, lacquering)
- Avoidable system contamination
Products that are to undergo subsequent surface finishing such as laminating, coating, lacquering or matting must have a clean surface. A high level of product purity is also required for rolled or coated products. Foreign particles from the machining processes and the surrounding air can be deposited on the product and contaminate it. In subsequent processes, these become permanently trapped in the product.
When a web is trimmed or cut, cutting residues accumulate and are dragged through the line. During rewinding, these particles can then damage the fabric itself or cause problems or rejects in subsequent converting processes (printing, coating, laminating). The same applies to dust that is attracted by static charges, insects that settle in the system or other loose contaminants. MITEX has developed a sustainable cleaning coating for this purpose.
