Surface World March 2020 Surface World March 2020 | Page 48
PRETREATMENT, SURFACE PREPARATION, DEGREASING & CLEANING
Kluthe chemical technology helps deliver
performance and environmental gains
at leading vehicle manufacturing plant
The performance capability
– particularly in terms of
reduced, volatile organic
compounds (VOC’s) and
CO – that can be realised
with specialist chemicals
from Kluthe UK Ltd., is now
clearly demonstrated at
one of the country’s major
vehicle production facilities.
led to a substantial reduction in chemical
usage compared to the previous product.”
The Kluthe concentrated product is mixed
with demineralised water in a 1200 litre
stainless steel mixing tank. This material then
supplies an additional 1000 litre stainless
steel tank from which the solution is pumped
to a series of robotic heads that are purged
after a set number of vehicles and also
between paint colour changes. After purging
the material is sent to the paint coagulation
system, which then treats the solution
to remove any paint solids, while the
demineralised water contained in the solution
also reduces the need to top-up the system
with fresh water which can arise from
evaporation loss.
Kluthe’s NIKUTEX 4589 VOC-free Aqua
Purge concentrate is now being utilised
during paint purge operations at the BMW
The VOC-free solution can be safely
MINI plant in Oxford, which produces body
disposed of with significantly less offsite road
shell components and undertakes final
tankerage removal required – it is estimated
vehicle assembly. The Kluthe chemical
a saving in the transport and disposal of
is producing results that not only help to
approximately one million litres of waste
optimise paint line
cleaning operations,
The production facility at the
but which are also
BMW MINI plant in Oxford in
supporting the
which chemical products from
Kluthe UK Ltd. play a key role
manufacturer’s
in paint purging operations.
commitment towards
maintaining the
highest level of
environmentally-
aware production
performance.
per year can be achieved. Simplified
measurement of the concentration,
using a refractometer, also results in
faster process control.
“The chemical usage has reduced from
120,000 litres a year to just 30,000 litres on
the line in question which is dedicated to the
application of waterborne base coats,” adds
Clive Gray, Kluthe’s UK Managing Director.
“We are delighted to have been able
to work on a facility that represents a
good demonstration of the capability and
environmental credentials of our NIKUTEX
Aqua Purge range,” continues Clive Gray.
“We believe it highlights the leading research
and development carried out by our chemists
in developing innovative products and also,
of course, points towards other applications
where similar benefits can be achieved.”
Telephone: 01908 698990
Visit: www.kluthe.com/en
Mike Nelson,
Technical Sales
Representative at
Kluthe’s UK offices
in Milton Keynes,
explains the process
–
“NIKUTEX 4589
is one of a range
of aqua purge
products that we
have developed to
assist our customers
in achieving their
targets in reducing
the amount of
VOC’s and CO,”
he says, “which has
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MARCH 2020
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