Surface World May 2019 Surface World May 2019 | Page 54
PRODUCTS & PROCESSES
machines, the additional cost and
engineering effort remains modest.
The advantages of the integrated plasma
cleaning process in ultra-fine degreasing are
substantial, on the other hand, including
a high operating flexibility, reduced process
times, low investment and operating costs,
plus very compact equipment build.
Cleaning is initially performed as usual
by a solvent-based wet process, followed by
vacuum drying of all workpieces. The work
chamber is then rinsed and its internal
pressure is reduced to less than 1 millibar,
whereupon the process gas (e.g., filtered
ambient air or oxygen) is introduced and the
plasma is ignited. Due to excitation by the
process gas, a plasma of high-energy ions
and free electrons – plus other reactive
particles – is thereby formed in the vacuum.
Contaminants on the part surface, such as
grease or oil residue, are chemically attacked
and transformed into volatile compounds.
At the same time, the plasma’s UV radiation
likewise exercises a cleaning effect, e.g.,
by breaking down long-chain hydrocarbons.
The gaseous decomposition products of
the plasma treatment are extracted from
the work chamber by suction. Thanks to
the combination wet-process and plasma
cleaning operation, the free surface energy
that is key to achieving an optimum adhesion
strength can be raised to 50 to 80 mN/m
in one single process step.
Integration of different
pretreatment methods
into one system
The partial or full-surface cleaning and
activation – and, in part, coating – of
individual metal or plastic products is central
in the expansion of Ecoclean’s process
portfolio. For these diverse objectives,
compact application systems were developed
for integration into a host of requirement-
focused equipment concepts. Each system
can be fitted with different treatment
technologies such as atmospheric pressure
plasma, EcoCsteam, laser, CO2 snow
blasting or EcoCbooster processes, whether
configured as an automated standalone
unit or integrated into a production line.
The company’s aim is to solve each of the
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MAY 2019
The advantages of the integrated
plasma cleaning process in
ultra-fi ne degreasing are
substantial, on the other hand,
including a high operating
fl exibility, reduced process times,
low investment and operating
costs, plus very compact
equipment build.
various surface treatment requirements
with the most technically and economically
beneficial technology. Thus, the use of the
new Disc-Jet atmospheric pressure plasma
source developed by the Fraunhofer Institute
for Surface Engineering and Thin Films (IST)
permits laminar and contoured as well as
depth processing. Due to the so-called
“cold” surface discharge (30 to 60°C),
even temperature-sensitive substrates can
be treated in this manner. An atmospheric
pressure plasma, for instance, allows part
surfaces to be selectively fine-cleaned,
activated and coated with an adhesion
promoting agent. Where the surface is to be
textured as well as cleaned, laser treatment
is the method of choice, depending on the
given material. EcoCbooster technology
provides a pretreatment method for the
selective, effective and efficient activation
of surfaces prior to, e.g., thermal spraying.
The automation system, too, is perfectly
adapted to the specific requirements and
application situation. Thus, robot-based
solutions can be realized just as readily as
multi-articulated handling systems and
CNC linear drive units. Across all variants,
either the workpiece, the tool or both can
be moved to match the given task definition.
Compact application systems can be fi tted with
different treatment technologies such as
atmospheric pressure plasma, EcoCsteam, laser,
CO2 snow blasting or EcoCbooster processes,
whether confi gured as an automated standalone
unit or integrated into a production line.
Thanks to this high flexibility, the new surface
treatment toolkit is the perfect solution for
diverse applications in electromobility,
medical equipment technology and
numerous other fields of industry.
Email: [email protected]
Visit: www.ecoclean-group.net
read online: www.surfaceworld.com