Getting and staying clean

About the automotive and supplier industry, medical technology, aerospace, precision mechanics, optics, or electronics – information about the particular and film residual dirt now belongs just as naturally to the technical specifications of components as dimensions and tolerances in many industries. However, cleanliness is the only component property that can only change after manufacturing through environmental influences. Therefore, it is not only about reliably and economically achieving the required cleanliness specifications but also about maintaining them until delivery or further processing of the parts. This requires, in addition to a needs-based designed cleaning process with appropriate monitoring of bath quality and cleanliness checks, coordinated solutions for preservation or packaging.

"For the broad range of tasks in the field of cleanliness, the exhibitors of parts2clean present 'solutions' from May 31 to June 2, 2016, at the Stuttgart trade fair grounds," reports Olaf Daebler, Managing Director of parts2clean at Deutsche Messe AG. The registration level for the 14th International Leading Trade Fair for Industrial Parts and Surface Cleaning remains high, comparable to the previous year. "The expanded Guided Tours enable industry visitors to specifically and effectively learn about special topics and solutions for their individual requirements," adds Daebler.

Optimally designed cleaning process – also with preservation

Even very high requirements for component cleanliness can today be reliably and economically met. Provided that the cleaning process has been optimally tailored to the dirt to be removed, the component geometry, the material, throughput, and the cleanliness specification to be achieved. Besides plant technology and medium, the cleaning ratio influences the result and economy of the process. Another aspect is the removal of the dirt from the cleaning/rinsing bath so that it does not settle back onto the components. To ensure continuous dirt removal, a demand-oriented bath preparation is indispensable. It is ideally complemented by facilities for monitoring important process parameters such as cleaning agent concentration, temperature, rinse water quality, and filter condition.

Both aqueous and solvent systems today offer the possibility to carry out cleaning and preservation/corrosion protection in a single system. This is also a topic at parts2clean.

Avoid recontamination

Once the parts leave the cleaning system, the focus is on maintaining the achieved cleanliness in subsequent steps such as removal, inspection, transport, and storage. Simple encapsulation or covering of the unloading area protects the parts from recontamination by environmental dirt. For workshops with high cleanliness requirements, it is advisable to carry out dispensing, inspection, and packaging in a cleanroom or clean area. To protect components during transport or storage from corrosion, so-called VCI packaging (Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor) is offered. These are packaging materials that create a corrosion-protected atmosphere inside the package while providing protection from external dirt.

Know-how around component and surface cleaning

Additional information and know-how are provided by the three-day specialist forum of parts2clean. The lectures on various topics of industrial parts and surface cleaning are translated simultaneously (German-English/English-German).

Simultaneously with parts2clean, from May 31 to June 2, 2016, at the Stuttgart trade fair grounds, the O&S, an international trade fair for surfaces and coatings, the LASYS, an international trade fair for laser material processing, as well as the AUTOMOTIVE Expo, a consortium of five different automotive trade fairs, will be held.