Industrial Washers
Industrial washers clean, degrease and sometimes dry mass quantities of large
or small industrial parts in preparation for distribution, surface treatment
or assembly. Oils, chemicals, burs and other residue leftover from the fabrication
process must be removed from the surface of parts before they can undergo the
surface finishing process. Coatings such as zinc and electroplating cannot
be effectively applied atop grease or contaminating dirt. Other washing processes,
such as automotive
parts washing, ensure parts will perform safely without contamination or
performance-hindering dirt. Industrial washers may be designed as multi-stage
processes, cleaning, deburring, drying, surface treating and even powder coating
all in one application. Other parts
washing machinery may be as simple as a single-stage immersion aqueous parts
washing tub. Industrial washers use water, aqueous chemical solutions, ultrasonic
blasts and agitation to achieve clean part surfaces; sometimes non-aqueous
methods such as vapor cleaning, acoustic cleaning, laser ablation and vibration
cleaning are used.
Most industrial washers use aqueous parts washing to remove contaminating
surface oils, although non-aqueous methods are sometimes used where aqueous
cleaning is not possible. The two main methods aqueous industrial washers use
are immersion washing and spray washing. Immersion washing, also called agitation,
immerses unfinished parts in a hot organic or chemical water-based solvent
in a wire mesh basket which rotates, turns, shakes and generally agitates dirt
off of the parts. Immersion washers may be as simple as a tub in which parts
are manually placed or removed, or they may be a series of tubs with different
washing, rinsing and treating solvents and automated arms which move baskets
between them. Spray washers spray water and water-based cleaning solutions
onto parts at high velocities to remove dirt; there are many different types
of spray washers for different types of part washing. Cabinet washers, cell
washers, conveyor belt washers, monorail/overhead systems, rotary tumblers
and pallet/dunnage washers all utilize spray washing techniques.
Most aqueous parts washing solvents have until very recently been chemical-based,
but recent rise in environmental and worker safety concerns and regulations
have made the use of organic solvents much more common. Ultrasonic cleaning
is a new, innovative type of precision cleaning which requires far smaller
solvent concentrations than traditional washing, cutting down on harmful
and expensive waste. Tiny air blasts burst against parts' surfaces,
cleaning effectively in crevices other washing techniques can't reach.
Automotive industrial washers often use ultrasonic cleaning to reduce the
risk of hazardous malfunction due to part contamination. The same is true
for medical, surgical, dental and electronics parts washing.
In an industry which depends upon exactness and precision, parts contaminated
with foreign chemicals, oil, grease or shavings can mean the difference between
smoothly operating machinery and loss of thousands of dollars or even lives.
Industrial washers provide an essential function in industrial manufacturing,
not only by providing thorough cleaning solutions but also by reducing labor
costs. With the multitude of part sizes, shapes and cleaning requirements,
industrial washer manufacturers often provide custom solutions, designing and
fabricating equipment or equipment systems tailored to a company's unique
parts washing requirements.