Microclimate Oxygen Free Storage

REDUCE THE COST OF STORAGE AND HELP SOLVE THE ENERGY
CRISIS IN THE WORLD

Microclimate Oxygen Free Storage of Motion Picture Film. (MOS)

This project acknowledges and respects the FICA system which was designed for the Swedish Film Institute 30 years ago. We have refined the system with updated ideas and technology. This description is to explain what we have implemented to enhance and overcome the storage problems. Films for archiving can be classified in a minimum of 4 categories:

1.Films stored at low RH (35-50%) and 5-10oC (41-500F) as well lower temperatures.
2.Films coming from indescribable, even incredible storage conditions
3.Films that are degraded by vinegar syndrome
4.Films from new acquisitions.

In order to take the film to the MOS SYSTEM you need to do the following.
The film must be rewound with very low tension, loops so loose that if you take it off the winding table, might drop out of winded loops. It is therefore important that the plate of the rewinder is detachable.
These filmrolls of soft winding are to be placed on ribbed shelves in a cabinet by pushing them off the plate.

Deactivation Cabinet
The cabinet can be of its own design. It is important that the cabinet is closed with an airtight seal which means it should be equipped with an adequate sealing door to the frame. Install a heating system in the cabinet and make sure the heat is distributed evenly. Deactivation of film is executed in a nitrogen or argon atmosphere. For this purpose the cabinet is to be very slowly flushed with the inert gas. For this an adequate valve entrance is to be installed. This will eliminate any long-term trapped contaminants and reactive peroxides that are flushed out with nitrogen or argon gas. The excess nitrogen will escape due to lack of tightness.

Use of the Cabinet
Place all the filmrolls in the cabinet. When full then turn it on. Set the temperature to 50C (122F).
After 50 hours in the deactivation cabinet the film should be allowed to cool down prior to packing, still in the cabinet for another 24 hours. (or until it is cold), still with a flush of nitrogen. Then the film is taken from the shelf onto a rewinderplate. It should then be re-wound with normal tension onto a brand new 3” (75mm) core from Dancan. (blue stabilized). Close the cabinet at all times until you are finished.

Now we are ready for the packing
You need a high quality packing machine, designed for meat packning.

The classic packing is in the FICA bag. The film is in the bag where the air has been evacuated.
This is standard FICA procedure for +30 years.

Before you store the film
Before you store the film, please determine precisely the weight of the film in the bag. In case the bag is punctured or does not keep tight with time, the change of weight will indicate this. For instance if it takes on humidity the weight will increase or if it looses humidity due to very dry storage conditions it will decrease.
Make a note of the weight and date on the FICA bag.

The NEW and ADVANCED method of packing in a FICA bag -
Injecting nitrogen.

Everything as described before, but with a twist. You inject nitrogen into the FICA bag. The packing machine is designed for this. No chance of “squashing” the film. Before you store the film, please determine precisely the weight of the film in the bag. In case the bag is punctured or does not keep tight with time, the change of weight will indicate this. For instance if it takes on humidity the weight will increase or if it looses humidity due to very dry storage conditions it will decrease. Make a note of the weight and date on the FICA bag.

Choice of filmcan for final storage

Put the film in it’s bag into a new DANCAN (black).
There is no reason to use a stabilized can for this purpose and it is our cheapest can.
Be careful not to damage the bag when folding it.

Clear sealable polyester film with high oxygen barrier -
Now you can see whats inside and even see the AD-Strip

This is called "Escal"

ESCAL sealable biaxially oriented polyester film-foil has low atmospheric oxygen permeation. It is particularly suitable for packaging of film under the terms of “extended term storage”.
ESCAL is a clear film as opposed to the original FICA bag which is a PET inner layer and aluminium as an oxygen barrier.
As time goes new materials have been invented. Therefore we can offer this clear bag which permits that you can see what is inside.

Should films struck by the Vinegar Syndrome be packed in FICA or ESCAL?

Film struck by the vinegar syndrome can also be packed this way, but you need to put molecular sieves around the film and you need to keep an eye on the film at scheduled intervals. When the molecular sieves are saturated, then replace them.

We recommend, that you place an AD strip with all films to monitor the evolution of vinegar. We offer Danchek for this purpose (Size 0 = 4x4cm ).
Size 1 is 1x4cm and perhaps too small for this purpose.

REDUCE THE COST OF STORAGE AND HELP SOLVE THE ENERGY
CRISIS IN THE WORLD

Only temperature control is needed.
Humidity control is very expensive and can be omitted.
You can put your film into a household fridge or just in a cooled storage below 15 C or 59 F.

Pollution
This system using DANPAK or FICA also means, that you can have your vault in an area where traffic density is high and polluting.

The film will be fine, the question is if you as a person can accept to breethe under those condition.

Dancan Cinema Services S.L
Calle Explanada de Castillete 3 - X66
35138 Puerto de Mogan
Las Palmas de GC
España

Telephone +34 697 226 485
Contact: Morten Jacobsen