Development of new Cleaning System
for Precision Micro Components
A
n international client, specialising
in the manufacture of precision
micro-components for the
medical device industry approached
Layton Technologies Limited with a
requirement to rationalise their cleaning,
pickle, rinsing and drying process. They
wanted to be able to manage their
forecasted increased throughput whilst
at the same time ensuring that they
maintained a scrupulously clean process
to medical implant standards and
provide a high degree of safety for both
the environment and operatives. They
also had limited floor space in order to
accommodate the process.
Historically, the cleaning process had
been carried out on a manual ad hoc
basis employing various individual tanks
and vessels where operators manually
moved components between tanks, and
exposure time was ascertained using
manually operated time clocks.
The client had embarked on a multi-
million-pound investment in new
equipment to cope with a huge upturn
in business and recognised that
their cleaning process was woefully
inadequate to cope with the increased
demand as well as being fundamentally
unsafe due to the hazardous nature of
the chemicals employed.
26
The main objectives for Layton, as
defined by the client, were to process
precision micro-components, complex
tubular components and sub-assemblies
to the required medical implant
standards.
Rationalise the current process into a
more logical order resulting in a shorter
overall process time.
Develop a drying process which would
guarantee the removal of rinse water
without staining.
Provide a high level of functionality
to improve process control and data
collection.
Introduce a reliable and repeatable, fully
automated process within limited floor
space and headroom.
Remove, where possible, human
intervention during the process and to
remove the extensive risk to operators
due to the manual nature of the current
process and potential exposure to the
chemicals employed.
Layton performed extensive trials
to ensure that the defined customer
objectives could be met, particularly with
relation to the drying efficiency of all
micro and complex tubular components.
Tests were developed with the client to
ensure that components were cleaned,
pickled and dried to the required
standard and provide a benchmark for
future use.
Special fixturing design was developed
to hold the components to optimise the
cleaning and drying process.
A comprehensive Design Documentation
Package was produced which included
for the use of Hastelloy tanks to contain
the hazardous chemistries employed
in the process and for automated
chemical dosing and data logging to
satisfy the client in terms of the overall
ability of the new system to meet the
requirements of the project.
The final design resulted in a new, fully
automated, multistage cleaning, pickle
and drying system, suitable for use in
a limited space designed specifically
to meet the stringent documentation
requirements of ISO 13485 complete
with Layton’s unique 5 year warranty.
For more information contact
Layton Technologies
www.laytontechnologies.com
+441782370400
[email protected]