Parts Cleaners
Parts cleaners 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. Parts cleaners 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 parts cleaners 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 parts cleaners 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 parts 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.
Parts cleaners 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, parts cleaner
manufacturers often provide custom solutions, designing and fabricating equipment
or equipment systems tailored to a company's unique parts washing requirements.
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Parts Cleaners and Industrial Parts
Cleaners Image Provided by Stoelting |