Kodak announced the release of a new P-200 Film Cleaning System. The design allows the cleaning solvent to be dispersed on the film surface in a unique way. The system, which uses Kodak HFE 7200 Film Cleaner Solution, is ideal for film archives and libraries.
Proper film cleaning is vital to both archiving and restoration. In most cases, film needs to be cleaned before being stored in a library and prior to being digitized.
“Knowing the importance of proper film cleaning to both maintaining and digitizing film content, Kodak has developed a system for the 21st century,” said Antonio Rasura, technical manager of Kodak’s consumer and film division. “It’s small in size, environmentally friendly, and easy to use, with no need to directly handle solutions. Maintenance is also simplified, so it can be used in both traditional laboratories and in-house by institutions.”
The Kodak P-200 system consists of a compact machine with touchscreen controls for navigating the operating modes. It uses Kodak HFE 7200 Film Cleaner Solution, an environmentally safe solvent with a zero ozone depleting classification, and a very low toxicity rating (near zero). Kodak is offering the solvent in low quantities for the first time, eliminating the need to invest in large orders of film cleaning supplies.
“The way the machine disperses the solvent onto the film is very unique,” said Rasura. “Solvent is quite expensive, and we didn’t want to use a costly recovery technique for the cleaner solution. The system we have developed atomizes the solvent, utilizing highly efficient delivery jets that ‘fog’ the film with an extremely fine dispersion of the HFE. The results include a huge amount of coverage with very little solvent, and all with no hazard to the operator or the environment.”
The Kodak P-200 Film Cleaning System also offers variable speed precision tension control, a laser-guided feature that can operate with speeds of 50–200 fpm while maintaining consistent and even tension throughout the wind of the roll, which is especially beneficial for long-term archiving.
“Film is an integral component of our industry and cultural heritage, and Kodak recognizes the need to support and preserve that content,” said Andrew Evenski, Kodak’s president and general manager of entertainment and commercial films. “Our aim in bringing this new system to market is to ensure that the community’s needs for accessible, quality film cleaning are met at an affordable price point.”
