Cold formed aluminium parts require Pero degreaser for cleaning

Solvent Cleaning Equipment for CFP Pero solvent cleaning equipment at CFP Solvent Cleaning Equipment degreases 1 million parts a month at Cold Formed Products. East London-based Cold Formed Products Ltd (CFP) has installed a Pero V1 universal solvent cleaning equipment from exclusive UK distributor, Kumi Solutions Ltd. Installed in October 2007 – at the end of the production line at CFP’s Plaistow manufacturing facility – the new Pero solvent cleaning equipment is already cleaning approximately 1 million aluminium ‘impact’ extruded parts a month for a number of automotive and aerospace industry customers. CFP 8 smallWith over 45 years of history, CFP has grown to become a thriving, 40-employee second-tier automotive supplier to some of the biggest names. Until recently, however, the company had relied on an aging open-top solvent cleaning systems to clean the vast number and range of components it produces, something that clearly needed to change in light of the EU’s Solvent Emissions Directive (SED), which came into force at the end of October 07. Cold Formed Products and the solvent cleaning equipment challenge “We first heard about the impending SED legislation three years ago,” states the company’s technical director, David Binks. “At first we thought the best approach would be to try and replace solvents altogether, so we looked at aqueous-based degreasing solutions. But to be honest, the trials we conducted were far from convincing.” Undeterred, the company refocused its attention on solvent cleaning, but this time Mr. Binks and his team examined hermetically sealed solvent cleaning equipment. “We visited four of five suppliers of sealed solvent cleaning equipment, but again the results were not impressive. It was only when we spoke to our supplier of solvents that I heard about Pero solvent cleaning systems. We subsequently contacted Simon Graham at Kumi and he recommended the Pero V1 machine. After trials in Germany we were relieved to find that it did the job very well.” Operator love the Pero Pero solvent cleaning equipment CFP has developed its own in-house methods for measuring part cleanliness that replicate the procedures used by its customers, to determine whether or not components are sufficiently clean. According to Mr Binks, one of the differentiating factors in favour of the Pero degreaser was its vacuum system, which is used to evacuate the chamber of residue. Many competitor systems use a ‘regenerative carbon stack’, which can be a time consuming alternative. CFP also claims that the V1 solvent cleaning equipment was priced more competitively. The Pero degreaser represents a significant step forward in cleaning technology as the machines are “universal”. That is, they employ almost any type of solvent, from chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene, to methylene chloride, modified alcohols, such as Dowclene 1601, and any standard hydrocarbons, for example, A3 category products with a flash point in excess of 55°C. A V-Series system can be changed from one solvent type to another in as little as one day. The V-Series solvent cleaning equipment are hermetically sealed to provide “near zero” emissions and so comply with the new SED. The machines are run under partial vacuum conditions, thus helping to lower the boiling point of the solvent. This has many advantages, such as improved energy efficiency, reduced solvent consumption and the ability to clean more delicate materials, such as thermoplastics and coated parts. Solvent condition is monitored automatically with solids, oil and water separated as part of the process. Sophisticated drying using two or three vacuum pumps is also fully integrated. The V-Series solvent cleaning systems come in five sizes ranging from a basket-type system with 380 x 220 x 200mm capacity, up to a Euro pallet size capable of handling a 1500kg payload. Installed in October 2007, the CFP Pero V1 solvent cleaning equipment was commissioned (using perchloroethylene) within two days without any interruption to the company’s production. “So far it has performed very, very well,” says Mr Binks. “We manufacture around 1 million parts a month here, and they all go through the Pero degreaser. Cycle times are typically 6 minutes, but because of the Pero solvent cleaning equipment automatic basket loading system, which accommodates four baskets on the conveyor, the machine looks after itself for 24 minutes at a time. It’s a feature we really like.” Depending on the size of component, CFP places between 150 and 2000 units in each basket. The machine runs for 10 hours a day, five days a week. “In total the Pero degreaser cleans 2.5 tonnes of aluminium a day, which is 25% more than we could do previously,” says Mr Binks. “Furthermore, the V1 only requires cleaning once every three weeks, whereas we had to clean our previous open top tank every week without fail – and the process was much more labour intensive.” CFP operates in what it describes as an intensely competitive automotive industry. The advantage it offers its customers lies in its impact extrusion process, which can deliver up to 3000 parts per hour. The company also offers subsequent CNC machining to supply finished parts, which undergo degreasing in the Pero solvent cleaning equipment.