Effective, inexpensive, safe and environmentally friendly: microorganisms bring many advantages when cleaning small machine parts
In car workshops, factories or in the metalworking industry, heavily soiled and difficult to clean parts are constantly accumulating, mainly made of metal. Often the cleaning of the small parts takes place manually and is laborious and time-consuming. Sometimes common cleaning processes require personal protective equipment (PPE) or suction devices, as the processes are based on substances that can be harmful to humans and the environment. At the same time, the oil and other lubricant waste associated with cleaning must be properly disposed of. What if a large part of this expense for safety and disposal could be avoided in the future? There are already effective alternatives today: cleaning methods based on bioremediation that make use of the power of nature.
Whether in vehicle construction, the metal industry or mechanical engineering, technical cleanliness is a clear quality feature now. Industrial cleaning technology is therefore becoming increasingly important. This guide looks at traditional methods of parts cleaning and presents an innovative solution that uses the capabilities of microorganisms.
What options do we have for cleaning dirty machine parts?
The most important cleaning goals include cleaning before assembly, intermediate cleaning or pretreatment, and final cleaning of parts. The main aim is to remove particles such as chips, dust or filmic contamination such as cooling lubricants, pastes or oils of any kind.
Today, mainly alkaline, aqueous, neutral and acidic liquid cleaners are used to clean machine parts. In modern industrial cleaners are basically inorganic, ionic and non-ionic substances. The effectiveness of the cleaners is based on various coordinated physical and chemical interactions. Often one work step is not enough, so that multi-stage cleaning processes are carried out according to the task at hand. Here is an overview of the most common methods:
Immersion cleaner and ultrasonic cleaner
The traditional, mostly multi-stage immersion cleaning method dissolves fats and oils and allows dirt particles to be dispersed (finely distributed). In the past, grease and oil cleaning was achieved through very high heating, whereas today it is operated at lower temperatures between 50 ° C and 75 ° C. Pressure flooding at pressures between 8 and 25 bar via numerous opposing, offset nozzles supports the cleaning process.
Ultrasonic cleaning is a special method of immersion cleaning and is widely used for mechanical cleaning support. It serves to avoid residual dirt and fine particles. The high-frequency ultrasound generates vacuum bubbles which, when burst, generate a pressure of up to over 1,000 bar. This method is particularly suitable for inaccessible places such as drill holes and embossing. The sound frequencies are mostly between 20 and 45 kHz, sometimes even over 100 kHz. The duration of the application is one to three minutes.
Spray cleaner
Due to the high pressure of the spray jet of usually 0.5 to 4 bar, spray cleaning is shorter than immersion cleaning. Nevertheless, it only works in the temperature range from 40 to 70 ° C. The cleaning solution for this requires a lower concentration. Spray cleaning therefore requires fewer chemicals, heating energy and, as a result, reduced costs for the treatment and disposal of dirty water.
There are single and multi-chamber injection systems. Demulsifying cleaners that separate emulsions are a prerequisite for proper operation. The main advantages over immersion cleaning are lower costs and shorter process times. Just like immersion cleaning systems, spray cleaners require appropriate systems for media maintenance, such as filters or oil separators, so that the cleaning solution can be used over a longer period of time.
Water-based cleaners
In many cases, metal cleaning is done manually. If a kerosene tub was used in the past, there are now cleaning tables equipped with a hose, where the employees clean the small parts with a brush. Kerosene is often replaced by a better high-performance water-based cleaner.
Steam or high pressure cleaning machines can also be used to improve manual spraying. These mostly use aqueous cleaning concentrates that are solvent-free. Mixed with hot steam or water, these cleaners clean well by spraying them under high pressure onto the surfaces to be cleaned.
What should be considered?
Ultimately, with all conventional methods, materials are produced, the disposal of which is associated with effort and costs, because it is necessary to comply with ever stricter environmental protection regulations worldwide. The water contaminated with chemicals or oil must be cleaned, filters and oil separators must be disposed of in accordance with regulations. The cleaning systems may also require a suction device and protective equipment for the personnel – gloves, glasses or respiratory protection, in order to minimize the health risk.
Depending on the scope of the security measures, the staff should be trained accordingly. Planning, implementation and training on everything to do with cleaning take time.
How does the environmentally friendly alternative based on bioremediation work?
But there are better alternatives: A technology that is becoming increasingly important is bioremediation. It is a process that intensifies naturally occurring processes in order to remediate contaminated media such as water or soil. To do this, the growth of microorganisms is stimulated, which specifically break down the relevant pollutants. In many cases, bioremediation is cheaper and more sustainable than other remediation methods. That is why users around the world are increasingly relying on this technology. The areas of application include, for example, sewage treatment plants, petroleum refineries or industrial production plants.
Microorganisms or microbes are tiny organisms that occur naturally in the environment. This includes bacteria as well as some fungi and algae. They are nature’s helpers in the decomposition, recycling and correction of unbalanced chemical conditions in water and soil. Nature has the ability to correct itself. Science and industry are now making use of this ability.
The CRC SmartWasher®: effective parts cleaning with bioremediation
In the case of parts cleaning, the microbes can break down oils, fats and carbon-based pollutants. One supplier of such a system is CRC, known as a leading manufacturer of specialty chemicals for maintenance, repair professionals and home use. The company has developed a manual parts cleaning system that is effective, safe and environmentally friendly at the same time.The CRC SmartWasher® consists of three components:
- SmartWasher® device
- OzzyJuice® cleaning fluid
- OzzyMat® filter mat
The functionality of the system is briefly presented here:
Performance, safety, costs – what distinguishes the SmartWasher®?
Such a system has many advantages. In most workshops and applications, the first thing that matters is that the parts cleaner does not require long preparation time, cleans effectively and is easy to use. The SmartWasher® scores here on all fronts, as it is ready for use in minutes, and is characterized by exceptional cleaning performance and minimal maintenance.
The user does not need any PPE, because as a water-based solution, OzzyJuice® does not contain any solvents or toxins, is pH-neutral and skin-friendly. There are no VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) gases, and since the liquid is non-flammable, there is no risk of explosion.
The SmartWasher® is a closed system that cleans itself. Thanks to bioremediation, the cleaning fluid remains clean and ready to use, because dangerous pollutants are biologically converted into carbon dioxide and water. Maintenance is limited to refilling OzzyJuice®. In addition, the manufacturer recommends changing the filter mat every month. The system therefore does not produce any hazardous waste and is NSF (National Science Foundation) certified.
At the same time, the use of the SmartWashers® pays off. There are no harmful substances to dispose of. There is no need to invest in PPE, suction systems or other equipment such as collecting trays, as well as administration or training costs relating to the topics of pollutants and safety. According to the manufacturer, up to 41 percent of costs and 99 percent of pollutants can be saved compared to the solvent-based method.
A solution for every need – the offer
CRC offers four different versions of the parts cleaner:
- The mobile SW-23 parts and brake cleaner, which is characterized by a large sink and good mobility thanks to a trolley with a step surface. It is equipped with an angled brush with an extra long hose for hard-to-reach areas.
- The heavyweight parts cleaner SW-37, which is suitable even for larger tasks due to its high load capacity of up to 454 kg. At the same time, it can be easily moved through the workshop area on a mobile trolley or set up stationary using lockable castors.
- The Smartwasher, SW-28 SuperSink parts Cleaner, which has everything a manual parts cleaner needs and is also equipped with toggle switch controls, a timer for flow control, an adjustable thermostat and a high-efficiency pump.
- The parts cleaner SW-28 Supersink, which has an extra large work surface for large and small tasks, on which two users can work at the same time thanks to a second brush.
The multi-layer OzzyMat® FL-4 was developed for normal to heavy use and has four white layers and one blue layer. The white layers of the mat hold back particles and should be peeled off every week for best performance. The blue layer contains the microbes that it releases into the system. The microbes migrate from the filter mat into the tank with the OzzyJuice® liquid and break down the pollutants there.
Clear conclusion with commitment to bioremediation
In the course of increasing environmental awareness and the ever more stringent requirements with regard to the safety of people and the environment, solutions based on bioremediation will become more and more important. With its SmartWasher®, CRC offers an innovative system for parts cleaning that is not only powerful and cost-efficient, but also safe for the user and the environment. Compared to conventional manual solvent- or water-based parts cleaners, it offers significant advantages.
Images: CRC Kontaktchemie
