Wipe for the picking
August 1st 2010 Do you require a wiper that is tough and durable? Low-linting? Good with solvents?
Heat-resistant? All manufacturing customers have different requirements and wipers
need to cater for specific needs. SCA's Mark Riley explains the types of tests that are
carried out on wipers to ensure they are fit for purpose
Wipers and cloths for industry come in all shapes and sizes –
there is no point in trying to clean up an ink spill with a
length of low-grade paper from a centrefeed roll for
instance, and any attempt to clean a precision engineeredcomponent
with a big, bulky rag that cannot access intricate parts
will be fruitless.
For this reason manufacturers have developed a wide range of
wipers aimed at specific types of industrial tasks.The properties of
these wipers will depend greatly on the surface that needs to be
cleaned and the solvent being used to clean it with.
For example, tough applications require durable products that will
not break up on rough surfaces, particularly when used with solvents.
Wipers designed for screens and delicate equipment, on the other
hand, will need to be soft and low-linting to avoid compromising the
surface to be cleaned.
Where solvents are used, the wiper also needs to be highly
absorbent while also low in static, since an electrostatic charge could
prove dangerous in conjunction with certain solvents.
Testing testing
Manufacturers carry out a variety of tests to ensure that their wipers
are capable of fulfilling the tasks for which they are intended. Let us
look at some of the tests that we at SCA Tissue Europe carry out on
our own Tork Premium 500 range of non-woven wipers.
With today's increasing reliance on computer technology and
other electronic equipment in the workplace, it is more important
than ever that non-woven wipers should be low-linting. Lint – the
tiny fibres or particles of fibre that are left behind after wiping – also
needs to be kept to a minimum when cleaning surfaces in
preparation for painting or printing.
At SCA we measure a wiper's capacity to lint by shaking a sample
of material in water for five minutes.The number of particles in the
water is counted with an optical fibre analyzer and measured in
particles/cm2.
Customers requiring a wiper for tough, heavy-duty applications
will need their wipers to be strong and durable.We test for durability
by assessing the maximum force required to break the material
measured in dry and wet conditions.
When an electrically-isolated surface is wiped with a non-woven
material, an electrostatic charge can result.This is potentially
dangerous in environments where solvents are used as it may cause
ignition of solvent gases and risk of a fire or explosion.
We tested Tork Premium 530, 520 and 510 for electrical charging
by rubbing each wiper against a lacquered metal plate and a board
covered with melamine plastic and then measuring the static buildup
on the plate.The results showed that the charging tendency was
much lower with Tork Premium 500 wipers than that normally
associated with textiles.
Our strength test also showed that all wipers in the Tork Premium
500 range had good tensile strength and that their wet strength was
equal to their dry strength.Tork Premium 530 was also found to be
very low in lint.
The heat is on
Several other tests are carried out on Tork wipers to assess their
qualities and strengths.We have a specific test to assess the heatresistance
of our wipers, for instance.This is particularly important
with Tork Premium 530, which is frequently used in food preparation
areas as an oven cloth and therefore needs to be able to withstand
heat.
We test for this by placing a wiper next to a hot surface and then
measuring the time it takes for the temperature of the wiper to rise
by 10°C.The bulkier the wiper, the better insulation it provides since
bulkier wipers contain more air which is a poor conductor of heat.
Tork Premium 530 was found to offer a high level of heat resistance.
Our test for absorption involves soaking a piece of wiper in water
and then allowing the excess liquid to run away.The absorption
capacity equals the quantity of liquid retained in the material.
We tested Tork Advanced 420 in this way and compared it to a
competitor's comparable wiper.The test revealed Tork Advanced 420
to be 36% more absorbent than the equivalent rival product.
This particular test – along with other tests carried out on Tork
Premium 530 – are demonstrated in a film on our website at
www.tork.co.uk/torkwiperdemo
Developing wipers is a scientific process and extensive testing is
required to ensure that they meet customers' needs. By assessing
practical qualities such as a wiper's strength, absorption and
tendency to lint – as well as other key safety issues – we can help to
keep our customers both satisfied
with their products and safe. More articles from SCA Tissue Europe: | 
