Industry sector: Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products
Company activity: Production of magnetic and optical media, notably for the audio and film markets
Company type: SME
Company founded: 2010s
Contacts: Production manager – purchasing manager – maintenance manager
Company context
The company manufactures magnetic inks as well as magnetic and optical media. These products are incorporated into smart cards, tickets, transport cards, or used to produce high-quality audio recording media for film studios or scientific laboratories. The manufacturing processes used involve several filtration steps.
Filtration challenge
The client wanted to reduce its production costs related to magnetic ink filtration. It was using a technology that was reliable but expensive for ink filtration, particularly during its application onto the roller substrate. In the manufacturing process, applying the ink is a key step because this ink must not be contaminated by particles. The ink filtration must remain consistent over time and throughout the entire roller-preparation phase, i.e. 1 hour 30 minutes.
From a filtration standpoint, this is a major challenge: magnetic ink is highly viscous (200 to 300 cP) and heavily loaded with impurities, which requires high-quality and highly specific filtration equipment.
Pemflow filtration solution
The high viscosity of this ink and the solvents used in its composition (toluene and xylene) led us to recommend a nylon filter cartridge. Nylon offers good chemical resistance to these two solvents, unlike polypropylene for example.
We did not recommend using dual-material filter cartridges combining polyethylene and polypropylene. Although this configuration of interwoven fibres helps stiffen the filter cartridge — making it easier to work with highly viscous products — it has the drawback of reducing the void volume of the filter, which limits its retention capacity and increases pressure drop at an equivalent flow rate.
Our solution, on the other hand, provides a filter cartridge with a large void volume, capable of retaining a significant quantity of particles without clogging. The selected filtration threshold ensures high-quality filtration with an extended filter lifespan.
Tests showed that our solution delivered effective, continuous filtration throughout the coating process. At start-up, the pressure drop was 0.2 bar, rising to 0.28 bar after 12 hours, with no significant particle deposition on the rollers. Further tests will be carried out for the development of other inks, using the same type of filter cartridge.
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