Industrial Parts Washer and Cleaning Systems 101: The Basics of Industrial Parts Washing

The rinse is the unsung hero of the wash process. Remember this is the last thing that will touch your parts prior to unloading or drying, so the part will be as clean as your rinse. There are a variety of ways to rinse and your cleaning and washing requirements will let you know the best avenue. Looking for a spot free rinse? DI water is the way to go. Minimizing water consumption will help your ROI – make sure you have the filtration in place to recirculate and re-use the rinse (and wash) water.

The hotter the rinse, the quicker the dry. Keep heat in mind when determining what rinse is best for you.

Drying, much like washing can be a bit of a challenge – but can also be simplified to this high-level formula:

• Heat + Time + Turbulence = Dryness

Again, these components are inversely related. If you want to dry in less time, you will need either more heat, more turbulence, or more of both. Like washing, fixturing may be needed for hard to get to areas. While a more general dry can be accomplished with a drying oven or high-pressure blowers.

Drying specifications are important to define, as the differences in specifications may substantially affect the machine size and cost. Also, know the material composition of your parts and the processes that follow. If you are looking to achieve 100% dry on complex plastic parts that have heat limitations, you know that you will need to increase the drying time and turbulence. These modifications can easily double the size of your machine.

Handling metal parts after the drying stage is another process that requires planning. Ensure you have the proper safety measures in place for the operator or factor in the need for a cooling section.

Cleaning and drying specifications have been mentioned above and those specifications are the foundation of the wash process. Knowing how your parts will be inspected to ensure they meet your requirements should be defined. Whether it be particle size testing, dyne testing, water break, laser inspected, or just a visual or to the touch test – you want to share that information with your wash system experts so the machine design fits your application and provides the required results.

The production rate is very important in machine sizing. The size of the parts, the parts per hour, and the required washing process are all factors in determining the footprint required to achieve the desired results.

The processes that precede and follow the washer are also very important. You want to ensure if the processes are synchronized and not creating a bottleneck on your floor.

Understanding your production process will also help determine the type of system to select. Does your production flow allow for a cabinet washer, carousel washer or a tunnel washer? Do you need to achieve parts per hour, or do you need to hit a cycle count? All are questions that your washing experts should be asking to help advise the best solution for you.

The targeted Return on Investment (ROI) is the overarching goal. Understand that machine cost is just a component in the ROI formula. Understanding the required utilities, labor, installation services and maintenance needs to operate the equipment are all factors as well. Reliability and dependability should be seriously considered in all cases, but especially for those that are absolutely dependent on their wash systems for their production.