CUSTOMER REPORTS

Messier Service France

At a service provider for the aircraft industry the changeover to aqueous cleaning with rotating parts movement also required the development of a special basket system. This can be quickly adapted to the more than 1,000 parts that vary in size and geometry. Product information on the topic

Cleaning and paint stripping play an essential role in the maintenance and repair of aircraft landing systems. Messier Services has invested in new, environmentally friendly processes for these operations. This also necessitated the development of a basket system that can be used for all of the more than 1,000 parts to be cleaned, which vary in size and geometry, while offering maximum safety in the processes.

Messier Service France, a Safran Group company, specializes in the maintenance and repair of landing skids and related hydraulic components. Customers of the globally active MRO specialist include private aviation companies as well as the military. At its Molsheim plant, the company has invested in new processes for degreasing and paint stripping of landing gear components. The aim was to work in a much more environmentally friendly way. We have therefore switched to aqueous systems for cleaning, reports Francis Schnepp, investment coordinator at Messier. In the new system, the parts are rotated. This movement of parts is necessary to achieve an optimal cleaning result within a short time. However, this also necessitated the investment in a new basket system in which or on which the workpieces can be securely fastened and are not damaged. Since degreasing and paint stripping are carried out in the flow of the repair, we needed a modular system that can be adapted very quickly to the different parts and still offers maximum safety, continues the investment coordinator. One workpiece carrier system
for all parts

The great challenge in designing the cleaning basket was the large variety of over 1,000 parts, which differ greatly in geometry and size. In addition to high flexibility, the other important criteria were safety, ergonomics, and short loading and unloading times. The maximum size of the basket was also specified. With this catalog of requirements, Messier turned to METALLFORM Wächter GmbH in Bretten, Germany, which had already developed and manufactured product carriers for another Safran Group company.

The solution: A basic pallet and various fastening tools

The METALLFORM design team then took a look at the huge range of parts during a visit to the Molsheim plant. However, we were unable to provide concrete data on the various workpieces, says Francis Schnepp. On this basis, the specialist for cleaning baskets developed a 1200 x 600 mm basic platform. Thanks to a grid pattern with a spacing of 40 x 40 mm, the parts can be placed on it as desired and fixed in any position. With the help of CAD, it was possible to simulate the movement of the pallet with various parts in the cleaning system. This revealed which forces occur during the process and how they […]

Fortuna Safety is the top priority when cleaning components for medical technology. Individually designed baskets offer maximum product protection and enable easy handling, as the application example shows. Product information on the topic

When it comes to cleaning tasks in medical technology, safety is the top priority. In order to be able to clean the product-contacting parts of a splitting machine for highly sensitive products in the field of medical operations reliably, quickly and economically, the manufacturer decided to use individually designed baskets. They were designed for maximum product protection and easy handling.

Splitting and sharpening machines have been developed and produced by Fortuna GmbH, based in Weil der Stadt, for around 100 years. They are used worldwide in the industrial processing of leather, plastics, rubber and technical textiles. The company was faced with a new challenge when it developed a splitting machine for highly sensitive medical products that are used in operations. The aim here was to automate a work process that had previously been carried out manually with a scalpel, and thereby achieving better quality. In addition to maximum precision when splitting the product and resharpening the knife, it had to be ensured that there was no contact between product A and product B during processing, reports Hans Laßnig, project designer at Fortuna. To reliably rule out such contamination, all machine components that could come into contact with the product are removed and cleaned after each splitting process. The customer gave Fortuna a time limit of 30 minutes for retooling and cleaning the machine. We therefore had to design these components so that they could be removed and installed quickly while still maintaining extremely tight tolerances. In addition, baskets were required in which the employees can insert the parts quickly and without confusion immediately after removal and clean and sterilize them, says Laßnig.

The basket
a decisive factor

Being able to insert the parts quickly and unmistakably was only one of the requirements placed on the baskets. In addition, they must hold the parts securely, with the contact points being as small as possible and certain surfaces not being touched at all. Contact of the parts with each other during the cleaning process must be ruled out, as well as contact to the metal of the cleaning basket. It is also necessary to position the machine components in such a way that undercuts and blind holes are also reliably cleaned, but that neither cleaning fluid nor condensate from the sterilization process can collect, which could be carried over into the machine. Another requirement was that no basket weighed more than 20 kilograms, as this would have necessitated additional equipment for handling, and that the baskets could be stacked. With these specifications, those responsible for the project at Fortuna turned to two manufacturers of cleaning baskets, including METALLFORM Wächter GmbH in Bretten. “We first spoke with both companies about this task by telephone, and it became apparent that METALLFORM was clearly […]

Montblanc | Karl Roll GmbH & Co KG For 100 years now, Montblanc stands for the highest quality, the best craftsmanship and tradition. The manufacturer of fine writing instruments, watches, leather articles, women’s jewelry, accessories and eyewear has always attached great importance to quality control and cleanliness at its headquarters and production facility in Hamburg. For the cleaning of finest polishing residues, which sometimes remain in the smallest engravings, a new parts cleaning machine was purchased, which is convincing in terms of ease of maintenance, operating costs and cleaning quality. Product information on the topic As a manufacturer of the most exclusive products, which stand for quality, tradition and high craftsmanship, the appearance is of utmost importance in addition to function and durability. Cleaning before electroplating has therefore always been an important part of the production process at Montblanc. The expansion of capacities made it necessary to procure a new cleaning machine for the parts soiled with polishing paste prior to electroplating.

With this challenge, Montblanc approached several cleaning equipment manufacturers. The cleaning specialist Karl Roll in Mühlacker was finally able to convince Montblanc with its concept: In several cleaning trials with different cleaning media in Roll’s technical center, the process and system parameters were optimized. The cleaning quality in the trials was at a level that could not be achieved either with the existing competitor’s hydrocarbon cleaning system or in trials with other manufacturers. However, it was not only the optimal test results, but also the high-quality plant technology, the minimal operating costs due to the heat recovery system and the ease of maintenance, together with a visit to a Roll reference customer, that convinced the company Montblanc.

In order to guarantee the cleaning of the polishing pastes on the one hand and to be able to meet the high throughput requirements in the given confined space conditions on the other, Roll decided to develop a hydrocarbon plant system with two working chambers. The cleaning agent is a hydrocarbon mixture that was specially adapted to Montblanc’s requirements. Due to the safety-related design of the plant and the fact that it operates under vacuum, explosion protection is not required. Since the plant realization in 2002, the parts, which used to be cleaned in two shifts, can be cleaned in a 1-shift operation without any problems.

Non-ferrous metal parts such as brass points, nickel silver clips and cap sleeves, as well as gold nibs are cleaned. These are cleaned in the plant after shaping and polishing and then forwarded for galvanic finishing. The contaminations mostly polishing paste are on the surface of the parts as well as in the smallest engravings. The polishing paste has partially dried on the surface.

70 different washing programs

Depending on the parts loaded and the degree of contamination, the specific programs are selected via a flexible, modern PLC control system with plain text display. Currently, around 90% set goods and 10% basket goods are cleaned with 70 different programs. Depending on the sensitivity of the workpiece […]

Oskar Rüegg AG On the one hand, components for the automotive industry have to meet high quality standards. On the other hand, the high cost pressure in this sector requires particularly economical production. In order to reconcile the two, a Swiss company that manufactures high-quality formed parts invested in customized cleaning trays. They reduce the manual operations required when handling the parts to a minimum and at the same time increase the batch quantity to twice the amount. The achieved savings allow the investment to be amortized within just one year. Product information on the topic

Oskar Rüegg AG, based in Pfäffikon, Switzerland, is a globally active company in the supply industry. Founded in 1891 as a mechanical workshop, today it produces large series of highly complex molded parts using stamping, bending and deep-drawing techniques from aluminum, rust-resistant steels and non-ferrous metals, as well as assemblies. They are used in the automotive, audio, lighting, electrical and electronics industries as well as in mechanical engineering and the construction industry. A large proportion of the metal molded parts we manufacture go to so-called Tier 1 suppliers to the automotive industry.

These include many visual and functional parts for the lighting unit, such as beam shields, reflectors or housing shells for the electronic control of the headlights, explains Monika Schibler, who is responsible for maintenance, environmental management and occupational safety at Oskar Rüegg and is integrated into the decision-making process in the case of special tasks. These special tasks also include parts cleaning. Before the workpieces are delivered or assembled into modules, the adhering punching oil must be removed. For this purpose, the company uses a modern, environmentally compatible VAIOCS (Vacuum Assisted Inorganic Organic Cleaning System) continuous cleaning system from EMO Oberflächentechnik.

It works under vacuum and is operated with DOWCLENE 1601, a non-chlorinated solvent based on modified alcohols. In order to meet the different cleanliness requirements, the process steps spray cleaning, immersion cleaning, steam degreasing and drying as well as the rotating and swiveling movements of the cleaning basket can be selected via programs stored in the control system.

The cleaning basket plays
an important role

70 to 80 percent of the parts are cleaned as bulk goods in standard baskets, the remaining 20 to 30 percent as set goods in specially manufactured basket systems. Some time ago, Oskar Rüegg experienced quality problems due to deformations of the bulk parts during the cleaning process. This prompted those responsible to look for alternative cleaning basket. Through a tip from Cleantec AG, the Swiss representative of EMO Oberflächentechnik, we became aware of the company METALLFORM Wächter from Bretten. This company offered us a solution with the MEFO-BOX system, which was very convincing. “This was because it was the only system in which all components could be randomly combined with each other. In addition, METALLFORM assured me of a maximum temperature up to which we could carry out the subsequent heat treatment of the bulk parts in the […]

Ibex Automotive GmbH High cleanliness requirements on the one hand, and enormous cost pressure on the other, present suppliers to the automotive industry with challenges in parts cleaning. One company solved this “balancing act” with customized baskets. They enable a very efficient cleaning process and at the same time reduce the manual handling of parts during packaging in customized blisters by around 90 percent. Product information on the topic

Allweier Systeme GmbH has been active in drive technology with its own developments for around ten years. Allweier Präzisionsteile GmbH was founded more than 40 years ago as a supplier and system and development partner in machining production. The core competencies of the family-owned company based in Überlingen on Lake Constance are CNC turning, milling and grinding as well as the assembly of subassemblies and components. The company has extensive, state-of-the-art machinery for machining parts made of aluminum as well as cast iron, steels, gray iron and cast steel, titanium and special materials. The range currently includes around 1,000 different parts from mechanical, plant and vehicle engineering, materials handling and robotics, the marine and offshore sector, optics and medical technology, as well as rail transport and other industries. All in all, Allweier processes about 20 million parts a year.

“On the one hand, the cleaning of the processed parts is a challenge due to the different materials as well as the most varied part geometries and dimensions. On the other hand, the requirements for technical surface cleanliness have increased significantly in recent years. Specifications such as no particles larger than 600 µm are common today, and optimal corrosion protection is also indispensable for steel parts,” explains Thomas Schmidt, Technology Planner Rotation at Allweier Präzisionsteile GmbH. In order to achieve the specified cleanliness values in a process-safe manner and at the same time making the cleaning production step more efficient, the company invested in two Universal 81W cleaning systems from Dürr Ecoclean GmbH and in new part-specific cleaning containers designed and manufactured by METALLFORM Wächter GmbH. Customized plant technology
for higher efficiency

“We talked to four equipment manufacturers and carried out test cleanings. Dürr Ecoclean not only gave us excellent advice, but was also able to offer the best system concept for our task,” reports Thomas Schmidt. The Universal 81W has a vacuum-proof working chamber in which the cleaning, rinsing and drying processes take place. Both systems are designed for a basket size of 670x480x300 mm (LxWxH) and a maximum batch weight of 150 kg. To ensure reliable cleaning of adhering particles and chips as well as residues of machining media, the working chamber is equipped with devices for high-performance injection flood washing and ultrasonic cleaning with a power of 10 watts per liter bath volume. Parts are dried by combined hot air and vacuum drying. “We also have scooped parts that were often still damp after cleaning in our previous continuous system. Thanks to vacuum drying, these workpieces now also come out of […]

Dürr/Allweier With a spectrum of around 1,000 different parts, it is not easy to reliably meet the increased requirements of technical surface cleanliness. To meet this challenge, Allweier invested not only in two new cleaning machines with customized equipment, but also in cleaning baskets that are especially suited for cleaning and can be used flexibly. With this combination, the contract cleaner meets the cleanliness values in a future-proof manner and cleans significantly more economically. information on the topic

Allweier Systeme GmbH has been active in drive technology with its own developments for around ten years. Allweier Präzisionsteile GmbH was founded more than 40 years ago as a supplier and system and development partner in machining production. The core competencies of the family-owned company based in Überlingen on Lake Constance are CNC turning, milling and grinding as well as the assembly of subassemblies and components. The company has extensive, state-of-the-art machinery for machining parts made of aluminum as well as cast iron, steels, gray iron and cast steel, titanium and special materials. The range currently includes around 1,000 different parts from mechanical, plant and vehicle engineering, materials handling and robotics, the marine and offshore sector, optics and medical technology, as well as rail transport and other industries. All in all, Allweier processes about 20 million parts a year.

“On the one hand, the cleaning of the processed parts is a challenge due to the different materials as well as the most varied part geometries and dimensions. On the other hand, the requirements for technical surface cleanliness have increased significantly in recent years. Specifications such as no particles larger than 600 µm are common today, and optimal corrosion protection is also indispensable for steel parts,” explains Thomas Schmidt, Technology Planner Rotation at Allweier Präzisionsteile GmbH. In order to achieve the specified cleanliness values in a process-safe manner and at the same time making the cleaning production step more efficient, the company invested in two Universal 81W cleaning systems from Dürr Ecoclean GmbH and in new part-specific cleaning containers designed and manufactured by METALLFORM Wächter GmbH. Customized plant technology
for higher efficiency

“We talked to four equipment manufacturers and carried out test cleanings. Dürr Ecoclean not only gave us excellent advice, but was also able to offer the best system concept for our task,” reports Thomas Schmidt. The Universal 81W has a vacuum-proof working chamber in which the cleaning, rinsing and drying processes take place. Both systems are designed for a basket size of 670x480x300 mm (LxWxH) and a maximum batch weight of 150 kg. To ensure reliable cleaning of adhering particles and chips as well as residues of machining media, the working chamber is equipped with devices for high-performance injection flood washing and ultrasonic cleaning with a power of 10 watts per liter bath volume. Parts are dried by combined hot air and vacuum drying. “We also have scooped parts that were often still damp after cleaning in our previous continuous system. Thanks to […]