Ultrasonics clean up valves more efficiently

An ultrasonic cleaning system from Kerry Ultrasonics is helping one of the world's leading manufacturers of pneumatic valves to significantly reduce reject rates and maximise productivity.

An ultrasonic cleaning system from Kerry Ultrasonics is helping one of the world's leading manufacturers of pneumatic valves to maximise productivity.

The high-speed, automated machine has significantly reduced reject rates at IMI Norgren, where it is used to clean small valve components made of brass, aluminium and stainless steel.

IMI Norgren's plant in Lichfield, Staffordshire produces pneumatic valves for a wide range of process control and general industrial applications.

Newly-machined valve components are thoroughly cleaned of oil and swarf by Kerry's Microclean Compact C300 system.

This is fitted with an Autotrans Mk 4 robotic work transporter to ensure rapid throughput and consistent, repeatable quality.

As well as being fast and efficient, the aqueous Microclean system has no ozone depletion potential, no toxicity and no environmental impact.

Kerry cleaning equipment was introduced at IMI Norgren to replace a detergent-based system.

"It left a thin, sticky film of detergent on the parts," explains Process Engineer Ray Bower, "which attracted contamination and led to high reject rates." Tests on components cleaned by the new Compact machine, however, have revealed a residual particulate contaminant level of 0.1 mg per component, well within IMI Norgren's target level.

With two rinse stages, both incorporating Kerry's Hydroflow spray under immersion feature, detergent residues are no longer an issue.

Previously, the company had also used a trichloroethane-based system which involved the time-consuming process of attaching components to jigs before cleaning.

In contrast, the Kerry system simply requires the operator to place components into a basket before starting the pre-programmed work transporter.

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