Effective parts washing makes the industrial and service worlds run. So much of the world is now mechanized. Most people do not even realize the extent they rely on moving parts. The closest they come to that epiphany is when they have a car break down and they are stuck somewhere they don’t wish to be. But if all machines failed to function or ceased functioning well, our society would be in enormous trouble. Farming, fuel production, manufacturing, transportation, and construction all rely on a multitude of small parts that must be maintained regularly. Without these sectors, society as we know it would collapse. From this point of view, you can see how important the industrial parts washer is.
What do parts washers do exactly? They are designed to remove grease, grime, oil, swarf, or any other dirt or residue from parts so that they can be inspected. Damaged parts can then be discarded and good parts refitted into a mechanical system. If this is not done, engines and other machines can suffer a serious failure, damaging other parts as well. Therefore, an investment in clean parts is an investment glitch-free systems.
Of course, not all parts washers are designed to clean small parts. AEC Systems can design a parts washer for any need, great or small, intricate or not. We’ve created systems to clean whole items such as pallets and totes, enormously heavy parts of up to 60,000 pounds each with significant soil load, and multi-stage parts washers that allow for cleaning and chemical dipping.
How do parts washers effectively clean? There are a number of methods that can be used alone or in tandem including soaking either in water or solvents, agitating, spraying, brushing, rinsing, and drying. AEC Systems engineers consult with their clients to determine their needs. Often they have parts that are difficult to clean either because of crevices and holes or significant grimy build up. They may also have other boundaries or constraints they need to work within, such as limited space within a physical plant or a small workforce. While the needs of our clients may be complex, we can always find solutions if we work together and communicate clearly.
One of the most exciting achievements of parts washing technology is the development of environmentally friendly cleaning solutions over the past several decades. While mid-century manufacturers and businesses relied heavily on solvents, we can now employ techniques that do not rely on poisonous chemicals and are, therefore, much safer and healthier for workers to use. We also continuously make advances in creating waste-free systems so that our clients do not have large amounts of toxic chemicals to dispose of on a regular basis.
Parts washing technology is an evolving science, but the more mechanized and environmentally aware society gets, the more necessary it becomes. At AEC Systems we are excited to see where the next decade takes us in parts cleanliness.