VeriClean TM
LTO Tape Cleaner
Developed in cooperation with a
leading library company
High density tapes are vulnerable to
contamination
Specification
Since the first LTO cartridge shipped in 2000 the Length 9.25” [235 mm]
capacity of a cartridge has increased twenty-five-fold. Height 5” [127 mm]
Despite this dramatic increase in capacity, the physical Depth 12.75” [324 mm]
dimensions of the cartridges never changed. The Weight 15 lbs [6.8 Kg]
Tapes LTO 1-6
increase in capacity is, in large part, due to the increase
Cleaning time From < 4 min (LTO1)
in bit density. to ~ 5 min (LTO6)
This high density recording makes later
generation tapes increasingly vulnerable to
contamination. Even very small particles can cause
problems.
Even small particles can cause
problems
The picture on the right shows a small area of a
recorded LTO tape. The slanted lines in the center
contain servo data that are used by the drive to find the
location of the data tracks. The data tracks are located
on both sides of this servo band.
The diameter of the brown particle is less than 100 µm (less than the thickness of
a sheet of copy paper). But due to the high density of the recorded data, a particle of
this size renders hundreds of bits unreadable.
The error correction circuitry of the drive would not be able to recover the data
even with this tiny degree of contamination
Removing contamination without damaging tapes.
Our VeriCleanTM technology has been thoroughly tested, including by all LTO
media companies.
The Cleaning Technology
The cleaning method
Tape cleaning has a long history. Of the methods tried historically, perpendicular
cleaning has proven the most effective.
This method removes debris from tape with the use of a cleaning blade that is
mounted perpendicular to the tape. As the tape moves past the blade, debris is
removed from the tape and collected by the blade.
Using a cleaning blade
The drawing illustrates this basic
Tape principle. A carbide blade contacts the tape to
Tape direction remove debris. The wrap angle of the tape is
very shallow and the blade barely touches the
tape. This prevents the blade from damaging
the tape.
Cleaning blade
Cleaning the blade
Debris that is collected on the blade is
removed by a brush after every cleaning cycle.
Self sharpening blade
The wear of the blade is controlled in a manner that the blade is self
sharpening. As the cleaning edge wears, a new edge is created, keeping the blade
sharp throughout its life cycle.
Maintenance free operation
The biggest problem with conventional blade cleaning methods is uneven
wear. Sharp, Irregular edges of grooves cut into the blade by the tape can cause
tape edge damage.
Our proprietary technology moves the blade perpendicular to the tape after
each cleaning cycle. The blade wear is controlled to avoid all sharp edges. The blade
Stays sharp and does not damage tape even after hundreds of thousands of
cleaning cycles.
MPTapes, Inc. Sales & Support:
1233 Sherman Drive 1-888-MP TAPES
Longmont, CO 80501 cleaner@mptapes.com
303-774-6361
