February, 2017 Continued from previous page It’s hard to imagine how a simple paper wipe
could be strong enough and clean enough to be use- ful in industrial situations. But paper manufactur- ers have learned some new tricks and developed a hybrid material called a “non-woven fabric.” This premium-priced material has the strength, softness and quality of a woven textile but is produced at the volume, speed and cost of a paper. DuPont’s Sontara non-woven is the market leader, but Alhstrom/Dexter, PGI and others also have non- woven offerings. Paper wipes are generally priced at a cost-per-
piece. Cheap cellulose wipes will be less than a dol- lar per box. Typical non-woven six-inch square wipes will sell for about $6 for 50 wipes, and the high-performance non-wovens will carry a 30 per- cent premium.
Fabric Wipes Woven and knitted wipes come
in a range of materials, qualities and prices. The least expensive material is simply “reclaimed fabric.” Priced at around 50 cents/pound, these wipes are cut from cotton shirts, jeans, old uniforms, pajamas and other materi- als. To reduce costs, some vendors mix high-quality reclaimed fabric with pounds of junk. This is usually noticed when employees are found sorting through the box of wipes look- ing for “the good ones.” A better choice is a “mill end.”
This is fabric designed for clothing but has never made it to the sewing desk. These wipes will not have the seams or decoration of reclaimed fab- ric, but they can be loaded with per- manent press chemicals, stain- resisters and dyes. The best grade is “new whitewashed.” Expect to pay about $1.20 per pound, but the entire box will be usable. The next level is washed cheese-
cloth. Coming from the mill, cheese- cloth (also called crynolin) is very hard and stiff, completely unsuited for wiping. However, after a thorough washing with special surfactants and detergents the material becomes very smooth and flexible. The best grades of washed cheesecloth are the first choice for painters, auto shops and the makers of fine furniture. Expect to pay $1.20-1.80/lb. Nearing the top of the quality
pyramid is washed diaper fabric. This material is soft, strong and highly absorbent. Diaper fabric may qualify for use in Class 1000 cleanrooms. Quality cleaning comes at a premium price, however, usually in the range $1.80-2.50/lb for non-cleanroom pack- aging.
Among the natural fibers, the
very finest-quality wipes are made from cotton twill. This fabric can be processed to medical grades and even cleanroom-qualified. Because of its strength, twill is often reused, with each application progressively less critical. Expect to pay $80-100 per bag of 300 sheets. If cleanroom performance is
essential, opt for knitted synthetic fabrics of polyester or rayon. These polyester materials can be extremely soft, clean and absorbent, so poly- ester is the leading choice for clean- ing optical systems, for example. Using a knitted product reduces lint- ing because contamination mostly comes from the edges and ends of fibers. The interlocking weave of the knitting process minimizes loose ends and locks stray fibers into the fabric. Some companies use a laser to
slice the edges of the synthetic wipes which melts the fiber and further
See at ATX West, Booth 673 Polyester paper wipe being ripped. The
steep “V” and loose fibers indicate weak and feeble paper.
www.us-
tech.com Are All Cleaning Wipes Created Equal?
minimizes linting. These are washed in special dou- ble-ended cleanroom washing machines to remove any remaining lint and fibers, making these prod- ucts suitable for the most demanding environ- ments. Expect to pay $80-100 for a bag of 100 sheets.
Swabs Swabs are basically just a wipe on a stick. But,
the stick allows a swab to tackle jobs that an ordinary flat wipe cannot handle. The real key to selecting a swab is the design of the head. The size and shape of the swab’s head, plus the configuration of the handle, are the first criteria. There are round swabs, paddle-shaped flat
swabs, hard-pointed conical swabs —a whole world of different shapes and sizes, all designed to fit the shapes people need to clean.
Continued on page 69
Page 65
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124