These are the outstanding innovations for industrial component cleaning 2023

The FiT2clean Award was awarded for the second time this year for outstanding new and further developments in parts cleaning: (from left to right): Juliane Schulze (FiT), Dr. Alexander Breul (Intelligent Fluids), Dr. Axel Reimer Müller (OHB System, project partner of Sphera Technology), Janine-Melanie Potreck (Sphera Technology), Maria Laure (Fronius), and Michael Flämmich (FiT). Image source: Association of Industrial Parts Cleaning e.V.

The joy over winning the €10,000 FiT2clean Award was great for Dr. Alexander Breul of Intelligent Fluids.

The FiT2clean Award for Innovation was awarded for the second time in 2023 by the Professional Association of Industrial Part Cleaning (FiT). It recognizes outstanding achievements and solutions for industrial component cleaning. Among the three finalists who presented their solutions on the third day of this year's parts2clean trade fair, Intelligent Fluids GmbH secured first place with their development of innovative, environmentally friendly phase fluids that can replace traditional solvents in numerous cleaning applications.

In an increasing number of industries, component cleaning is not only a manufacturing step that significantly contributes to product quality but also to resource efficiency and the implementation of new products, thereby maintaining competitiveness. Innovative developments are required in industrial cleaning technology for this purpose. "With the FiT2clean Award established in 2022 and awarded annually, the Professional Association of Industrial Part Cleaning recognizes outstanding achievements and solutions and aims to promote innovations in industrial component cleaning," reports Dr. Michael Flämmich, Chairman of the Board of FiT. In 2023, a total of twelve companies applied for the innovation award with new and further developed solutions. "The consistently exciting and forward-looking developments made it difficult for the expert jury, composed of individuals from science, research, industry, and media, to choose the three finalists," adds Michael Flämmich. They presented their solutions on the third day of this year's parts2clean (September 28).

The winners of the FiT2clean Award 2023

The FiT2clean Award, endowed with €10,000 and a one-year free membership in the association, was won by Intelligent Fluids GmbH with a concept of phase fluids to replace traditional solvents in a variety of industrial cleaning applications. The fluids consist of the main components water, oil, surfactants, and activators. Instead of chemically dissolving contaminants, the removal is achieved through physical lift-off effects. These new cleaning media are not only highly effective but also enable significant savings in operating costs.

Second place went to Sphera Technology GmbH with an innovative solution for controlling technical cleanliness in the micro- and nanometer range. The innovation is based on combining a standardized test specimen with smooth surfaces, embedded steps, cooling ribs, through-holes, blind holes, and threads with highly precise test particles in fixed sizes (e.g., 0.5 μm, 1 μm, 5 μm, 10 μm) and corresponding coding with UV-active colors. These are applied to the test specimen using a specially developed process. In the next step, the test specimen undergoes the respective cleaning procedures, handling, storage, etc. Subsequently, the surface geometry is dissolved or the adjacent production areas are evaluated. For the first time, it is possible to assess cleaning quantitatively, with an emphasis on quick, simple, and cost-effective analysis methods.

Third place was awarded to Fronius International GmbH for developing a hot-active plasma system used, among other things, for partial cleaning of the weld surfaces of mass bolts. The arc plasma is shaped into a flame using a shielding gas flow, reaching temperatures of up to 1000°C at its core. The resulting thermal and chemical processes ensure that material surfaces are partially and precisely freed from organic residues and film-like contamination. At the same time, the surface is activated. Since the arc is generated between the plasma torch and the tungsten electrode of the burner, a mass connection to the workpiece is not necessary. Accordingly, non-metallic materials can also be cleaned with hot-active plasma.

„With these and all other submitted innovations, providers of industrial cleaning technology have unlocked great potential for optimizing current challenges in component cleaning," notes Michael Flämmich. "This makes us very curious about the submissions for the FiT2clan Award 2024." The association's innovation prize will again be awarded at parts2clean in the coming year, which will be held from September 24 to 26, 2024, at the Stuttgart exhibition grounds.