Surface World December 2019 Surface World December 2019 | Page 68
PRODUCTS & PROCESSES
Are you settling for the second best?
Richard Starkey, Industry Manager, Aviation from SAFECHEM
For many high precision
industries such as
aerospace, medical,
automotive and defense,
industrial parts cleaning
plays a crucial role in
quality assurance during
the production process.
Inadequate degreasing
can have a disruptive
effect on many subsequent
processes. Nevertheless, we
see far too many companies
using a suboptimal cleaning
solution in their operations.
There are various reasons
behind this. Some
businesses simply lack the
knowledge and expertise
to competently evaluate
potential options. Others
have been relying on one
particular method for so
long that they are not aware
of alternative solutions.
And in many cases, plant
operation managers
have such deep-seated
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misconceptions about
certain cleaning technology
that they categorically rule
out their use despite their
proven cleaning quality.
A case in point is solvent
cleaning.
Although solvents have long been recognised
to be one of the most effective cleaning
agents, especially for highly specialised
sectors, there is no shortage of myths
surrounding their use. Common
misunderstandings conclude that solvent
degreasing is a dirty job; that it is bad for the
environment or it is dangerous for workers.
These beliefs are in fact nothing more than
misconceived ideas. In particular, the
unfounded fear about managing solvent risk
and concerns about meeting Health, Safety
and Environmental requirements has deterred
companies from the use of solvents, and
therefore robbed them of the opportunity to
reap the many tangible benefits solvent
cleaning delivers.
Nowadays, solvent degreasing is well
established in fully closed cleaning systems.
Perhaps surprising to most, its efficiency is
often superior to alternatives promoted as
"more sustainable", since it does not require
significant energy for drying and no water is
needed in the process. Closed cleaning
technology with internal solvent recovery
further reduces the amount of waste to be
recycled, thereby lowering overall cleaning
costs. In addition, the supply, transport and
storage of solvent in safety systems enables
safe and responsible handling towards
people, air, and soil as well as legal
compliance. With sufficient worker training
and risk management measures, handling
solvent does not represent a risk factor any
different than other potential hazard in the
workplace.
When it comes to industrial parts cleaning,
there is no one-size-fits-all approach. No
one cleaning method would work universally.
It takes a comprehensive evaluation to
identify the most suitable cleaning method
where numerous factors must be carefully
considered, such as the types of metals and
contamination, degree of complexity of
components to be cleaned, volume of parts,
production oil used, regulations compliance
and approved substances, to name just a
few. Companies would be doing themselves
a huge disfavor if they immediately rule out
established cleaning methods like solvent
cleaning without even taking an objective
evaluation of its advantages and risks, and
the best approach to keep the balance.
Optimal parts cleaning process goes far
beyond than just trying to achieve cleaning
excellence. With the right combination of
machine technology, cleaning agent and
application technology, the critical cleaning
process can be transformed into a value
adding step that drive operational and
resource efficiency as well as significant time
and cost savings – in short, competitive edge
that can directly impact the bottom line.
The most important question remains: Is your
metal cleaning process a bottleneck in your
manufacturing or is it creating value for your
entire operation? And are you exploiting the
full potential of your parts cleaning process
to propel your business forward – or are
you just settling for the second-best option?
It might be time for a proper rethink.
Visit: www.safechem.com
Surface World Live 2020 is being held in Hall 9 at the NEC in
Birmingham. The next show is on the 18th & 19th March 2020.
- we have everything covered
DECEMBER 2019
If you are interested in booking a stand then call Nigel Bean
on 01442 826826 or send him an email at [email protected]
twitter: @surfaceworldmag