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Web Cleaning as a dust control solution for web converting operations.
In the paper, film, and other web-based converting industries, maintaining a clean web surface is critical to product quality and production efficiency. The most common dust control technology in use today is the high-volume “area hood” or “air foil” vacuum system. These systems are designed to ventilate the area surrounding a converting machine that generates dust, drawing airborne contaminants away from the process zone.
While area hood vacuum systems are relatively easy to install and integrate into existing equipment, they have several significant limitations. First, these systems are only marginally effective at capturing dust at its source. They do not actively clean the web surface itself, leaving fine particles, fibers, and static-attracted contaminants on the material. Because they depend on large airflows, they require more vacuum power per unit width of web—making them energy-inefficient and costly to operate.
Additionally, the ductwork and hoods take up considerable space around the converting line. This can interfere with routine operation, setup, and maintenance, often requiring components to be moved out of the way before work can be done. Conventional dust control systems are also typically effective on only one side of the web, allowing contamination to persist on the opposite surface. Furthermore, open-slot vacuum designs can “eat the web” if misaligned, leading to costly downtime and material waste.
Modern non-contact web cleaning systems, such as those from ElectroStatics, Inc., overcome these challenges by using ionization and targeted vacuum technology to clean both sides of the web efficiently, safely, and without mechanical contact.
The disadvantages of area hood dust control technology are:
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Marginally effective
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Does not actively clean the web
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Requires more vacuum per unit width of web
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Requires more space in and around the machine which makes it difficult operate and maintain the machine without first moving the duct work out of the way.
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Is only effective on one side of web.
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The open slot designs can "eat the web"
