EXCERPTS FROM(Sanitized) TEST AND EVALUATION OF (Sanitized) WIDE FILM PROCESSOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B04747A002400050040-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 7, 2003
• Sequence Number: 40
• Content Type: MISC

Approveor Release 2003/05/15 :.,CIA-RDP78747A002400050040-7
The following test results and evaluation excerpts were taken from
OF
WIDE FILM PROCESSOR
Test and Evaluation Report TE 68-4 received by the Center on
16 August 1968. Where possible, statements made
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on their evalu- 25X1
are related to specific statements given by design
y the DED contract monitor. Related item, numbers
refer tp statements listed under "Test Parameters".
RELATED
REPORT ITEM NUMBERS
PAGE NO. (Test Parameters)
An examination of the processor 1
after uncrating, as well as
during and after installation,
revealed no damage to the
machine, One pump was easily
secured. All support equip-
ment was found to be in good
condition. The exhaust blower
motor was changed from 110
Vac to 220 Vac for more effi-
cient operation.
All connections (plumbing, 5,6,12,23
.electrical, air and vacuum)
were checked and found to ad-
here to specifications.
work was excellent. Install-
ation of the processor was
accomplished without problems,
due to minimal plumbing and
wiring requirements.
All stainless steel and PVC 1 of -I/
6,23
Declass Review by
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REPORT
PAGE NO.
All systems were checked in seq- 1
uence as outlined in the manual.
Results were good in all aspects,
with the exception of temperature
and its control.
Air and vacuum units checked and 1
accepted.
Air sequeegees, air bearings and 1
vacuum roller accepted and consid
ered well designed.
Film transport of a total of 1
2,000 ft. each of 70mm and 9.5-
inch thin and heavy base (includ-
ing 500 ft. of heavy film leader)
film was excellent. All tanks
during this phase were water fill-
ed, and machine was in full
operational configuration for dry-
to-dry evaluation. No abrasions or
edge distortions were noted.
Temperature control was tested 2
during all runs and temperature
variations from liquid bearing
impingement area of control
indicator varied three to seven
degrees. This phase was re-
checked during the first sensi-
tometric run and the differences
ranged from two to three degrees.
RELATED ITEM
NUMBERS
`-(Test Parameters)
1,17
20
Electrical components all accept- 2 6,12
able and meet specifications.
The film magazine, due to modif- 2
ication, will not accept the Air
Force 1,000 foot spool and the
light trap remains open when
attached to the machine. Use of
an Air Force standard magazine,
that adapts to the machine, and
with a full 1,000 feet of film
causes base abrasions in passing
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 J (Con)
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STATEMENT
through the entry slit to
splicer section. Unless mod-
ified, the light trap on the
Air Force magazine will remain
in the "open" position. Open-
ing of the splice area could
fog loaded film.
Front take-up roller "drawer"
required excessive force to
remove and when in "operating"
position, the air blast noise
increases in intensity to an
objectionable degree and
causes continuous flutter of
the film, which in turn causes
lateral abrasions of the film.
Speed control knob increments
are too small for accuracy and
require ?a tachometer to
establish a true film trend
speed. The use of the con-
version chart to convert the
arbitrary numbering system is
of little value. an example,
the Engineering
Manua recommends a speed of 4.75
ft./min, for drying
film, but the increments on the
conversion chart do not include
this figure. A direct reading
speed selector, calibrated in
ft/min., is required.
RELATED
REPORT ITEM NUMBERS
PAGE NO. (Test Parameters)
A/ / i'4'`' ~'` Y' 1, 6 , 7 ,17
2
7/ 2,18
~i'/z' Yt //~7
Temperature control units, unless 2
started with cool chemistry, are
difficult to adjust. Calibrated
controls on each unit would be of
considerable value. Lack of a
cooling system makes the required
temperature adjustments a time
consuming and tedious task, part-
icularly in respect to the allow-
able tolerances involved in +0.25?F
control. `
(NOTE) In tests these tollerances
were not held at the film
impingement plane.
20,25
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i it w
The drain pan should be extended
to include the wash tank section
and the drainage outlet should be
made larger.
Full opening of all tanks at one
time is not possible due to
limited pan capacity and small
drainage opening.
Noise level extremely high. The
exhaust blower should be mounted
away from work area and redesign
of the dryer assembly is recomm-
ended in order to lower the noise
level and reduce film flutter.
Leakage or spillage drains onto
electrical motors and pumps.
1,000 foot roll pull through
causes grinkling at the 90 degree
turn-around, take up idler roller.
REPORT
PAGE NO.
3 !.Oa J'?
.RELATED
..ITEM NUMBERS
(Test Parameters)
3,5,11,12,23
3
3 6,7,12,17
Ile, 11
3 Lie r/rL~f r"r/.
3,8,9,23
Due to the power requirements and 3
physical characteristics of the
processor, it is estimated that a ai,/i ,A,,~
minimum of eight to ten tons of air f / ,~
conditioning will be required to L~GP.) lrr'i-~'/i/J
maintain equilibrium for the specified CJ
70?F + 50 and 50% + 5%RH.
Dryer is inadequate and it is 3 ~~
apparent that processing speeds, /Vr'L1' el,' otr,
types and temperatures of chemistry
are all dependent on the drying
capability.
This phase of the test, although 3
involving chemistry, will not be
included in Section II, but will
be mentioned at this point.
Deficiencies noted, based on high
temperature processing, are as
follows:
1,6,11,12,17
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U (con) (1). The ratio of metol of
hydroquinone is high.
(2). Sodium sulphite concen-
tration is not high enough.
(3). It is our opinion that
borax should be added to the
hydroxide alkali buffer
system.
(4). Su;lj-`hate should be added
to prevent the excessive swell-
ing which is one of the primary
reasons for the film drying
problem.
The
REPORT
PAGE NO.
Processor, as a prototype, is
good in concept with exceptions
noted in, paragraph B-1-H. The
air knife and liquid bearing-
applicator principles have been
well adapted to the photographic
process, and they do establish
that it is possible to transport
film with little or no abrasions,
scratches or other defects that
have been one of the major problems
in film processing machines. The
dryer section is poor in design.
The loading design and drying
section negated the possibility
of transporting film dry-to-dry
with no abrasions in the pro-
cessors present configuration.
From an engineering standpoint, 4
the machine, as a prototype,
is acceptable if the deficiencies
noted are corrected. This
recommendation does not include
or pertain to the acceptability
of the processor as a sensitometric,
chemical, or controlled process
machine.
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RELATED
ITF11 NUMBERS
(Test Parameters)
1,7,8,17
1,6
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Evaluation and subsequent
testing were accomplished as
outlined in Appendi; I,
but due to the deficiencies
noted in Section I Engineering
Evaluation, the complete
series of sensitometric tests
was not considered feasible
at this time.
REPORT
PAGE NO.
1,10,11,1:9
Sensitometric curves represent- 5 1 4,9,10,11,19
ative of processing runs indicate
that high temperature andli h ///
r 7
turbulence (Pottential oxidation
of developing agent (s) upset the fr,,
formula balance, creating instab-
ility in the sensitometric control.
The replenishment is based on a
"demand" principle and varies from
1 to 3 quarts of developer during
the processing of 500 feet of film,
(70mm and 9.5-inch wide). Replenish-
ment of other solutions vary according to
capacity of their respective tanks.
A foam build up was apparent in the
wash section. Although not excessive,
it caused a slight overflow around the edge
of the cover.
Limited sensitometric testing was done 5
with film.
Dryer pro ems encountered testing
revented a thorough evaluation
film.
of this
NOTE: Discussion with the using ag`',cy
resulted in limiting the testing of the
two duplicating and one acquisition film;
therefore, only.the NRD-29 developer was
used in accordance with the
Manual.
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,RELATED
ITEM NUMBERS
(Test Parameters)
1,10,19
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ITEM STATEMENT
AA
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REPORT
PAGE NO.
Testing of the fine 5
grain duplicating film and
I acquisition film %
showed good drying of these
materials is possible; although
the temperature control of
the infrared heater unit was
somewhat: critical. High
velocity air turbulence in
the dryer section caused
lateral abrasions on both
film types,
Lateral densit lots showed
variations on film
up to,104 density. Density
variations on ilm
were as high as .06 at a
nominal density of 1.5.
wide film processor prototype,
from the stand-point of
The
precision, high quality controlled
processing, is not acceptable.
Sensitometric control is not
possible and can be attributed
to the Replenishment System
which is a "demand" type
system. On a processor of this
design, it is not controllable.
For precision processing it. was
noted that the developer replenish-
ment bottle, due to back
pressure in the circulation system,
received "back up" of oxidized
developer. The unpredictable
flow of chemicals and the lack
of sufficient fresh chemistry in
the system not only changed the
chemical balance, but a definite
increase in KBr was noted. High
temperature processing required
by the short developer time in
the processor will require
chemistry other than recommended
in the Manual.
t" i c f10,11 1
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RELATED
ITEM NUMBERS
(Test Parameters)
1,10,19
1,10,19
1,9,10,19
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REPORT
PAGE NO.
In the dryer section, the 6
infrared, in conjunction
with warm air impingement, ,/
,
required critical and bal- u I`
anced control and could be
considered extremely
difficult with the existing
configuration and control
system. The distance between
the wet section air knife,
and the infrared area, then
into. the film guide air
cluster, is too short. At
this critical point drying
is minimum upon entry into
the cluster causing the
flutter abrasions to be
unacceptable by normal
standards.
Thel Processor is not
acceptable in its present design
as a controlled process unit.
6
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RELATED
I-T'E4 NUC11;L:RS
.(Test Parameters)
1,17
YI '