Cleaning system removes machine contaminants

Cleaning system is designed to remove contaminants between and after manufacturing processes, and is ideal for small volume production environments as well as larger companies.

Anyone paying attention in chemistry lessons will remember that 'like dissolves like', which is why chlorinated solvents are used to clean oil and grease from machined components, and water is able to flush away salts and other water-soluble matter.

Problems arise, however, when using modern, high-additive cutting oils that comprise a mixture of solvent-based and aqueous constituents.

To address this area, the German manufacturer, Durr Ecoclean, has teamed up with Dow/Safechem to introduce a new cleaning system.

Called Compact 80P, it harnesses the former's long experience in manufacturing industrial cleaning machines and exclusively uses the latter's newly-developed Dowclene 1611 cleaning solution.

Apart from being a good degreasant, the non-corrosive solution is also effective at removing water-based soil and oil-water emulsions as well as particulate matter, and dries without leaving a residue.

Sole UK agent, Geo Kingsbury Machine Tools, Gosport, points out that the new equipment will help manufacturers to address stringent EU legislation on volatile organic compounds, due to come into force in October 2007.

The Compact 80P is designed to remove contaminants between and after manufacturing processes, and is ideal for small volume production environments as well as larger companies with decentralised cleaning areas.

Vacuum distillation and double solvent filtration allows the cleaning medium to be recycled for cost-effective operation.

Energy consumption is minimised by heat recovery, and the process is said to be almost emission-free.

Loading and unloading of components may be either manual or automatic.

The system has an enclosed chamber with rotational and swivelling actions for cleaning and drying components efficiently.

Process sequences are programmed using the Siemens S7 PLC, the control panel displaying tank temperature and pressure as well as fault diagnostics.

Air or water cooling may be specified.

Optionally, a second tank can be fitted for fine cleaning applications, assisted by an ultrasonic unit.

Separation of chips is possible by cyclone filtration.

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