The quality and environmental benefits widely associated with aqueous component cleaning equipment from MecWash Systems Ltd. has now taken a further step forward in a move that is of particular importance to manufacturers of complex machined products. The company's acclaimed rotational washing system is now available with ultrasonic cleaning built in to the same unit to provide unprecedented levels of component cleaning.

By combining the two technologies, MecWash Systems is able to extend the high quality of its cleaning processes into all areas of the manufacturing industry. From companies producing simple pressed parts to designers of highly complex and bespoke aerospace or medical componentry - all can now gain from the optimum choice of cleaning processes from the single chamber MecWash Systems equipment.

For the last decade, the company's rotational washing process has achieved unequalled results, in many cases enabling customers to eradicate environmentally unacceptable solvent-based alternatives from their manufacturing processes. Components are secured in a front-loading drum - either loose in baskets or in purpose-designed fixtures - and then subjected to flood and spray wash, rinse, hot air and, where required, vacuum drying processes. This combination produces results that are not only of the highest quality - enabling many customers to dramatically reduce the risk of component failure or rejection - but also enhances environmental performance both through the elimination of solvents and the need for only minimal waste products to be removed from site.

Distinct from this, the well-established use of ultrasonic cleaning processes have also been a regular feature of manufacturing industry. Conventionally, components are lowered into a tank whereby the action of the ultrasonic waves loosens ingrained contaminants into the wash solution to meet predefined cleanliness targets. However, as MecWash Systems' Sales Director Paul Young explains, this approach can have notable drawbacks that are now eradicated when it is used in conjunction with the company's technology -

"Whilst ultrasonics are highly effective in loosening a wide range of ingrained and adhered contaminants - from casting sand, graphite and lapping paste to polishing compounds and even heavy greases - the removed material can simply fall onto another component surface or to the bottom of the small wash tank. Here, it will build up very quickly in the wash solution to cause rapid contamination of both the solution itself and of further components," he says. "This contamination inevitably reduces the effectiveness of the ultrasonics process. Regular costly and time-consuming changes of wash solution are therefore required.

"The combination of ultrasonics with our powerful rotational washing action removes the contaminants released by the ultrasonic process," he continues. "The filtering systems that are built in to our units then return clean wash solution, thus eliminating the risk of cross contamination for subsequent components. In a growing number of cases, this is proving to be the optimum process to maintain the highest quality results."

To date, MecWash Systems has focused on adding an ultrasonics capability to two units within its range - the `Midi 400` and the larger `Millennium` system. In both cases, the technology is built into the existing framework so no increase in footprint on the shop floor is required. Equally, with the ultrasonics operation controlled by the same processing system, no additional procedures need to be undertaken by the operator.

"The move we have taken reflects the clear trend in many industrial sectors that sees an increase in the design and use of precision engineering components," continues Paul Young. "In particular, this can be noted in areas such as automotive, aerospace, medical and, indeed, some parts of general engineering. In all cases demands for cleaning to a very high standard are fundamental and we can already point to a number of customers who are benefiting in this way."

By way of example, he highlights the use of a MecWash Millennium cleaning station by Cosworth Racing in Northampton where the extremely rigorous operation sees Formula One engines re-engineered to a perfect 'as new' condition. Here, two high-power, ultrasonic transducers are built into the system to remove not only the heavy greases that are applied to the engines during assembly but also other contamination that may become adhered to the surface of the component.

Similarly, a MecWash Midi used by Hydraforce in Birmingham sees ultrasonic technology used as part of the cleaning process for complex hydraulic valves - six separate component designs are cleaned including a new transmission manifold for a leading manufacturer of construction equipment.

With the added benefit of significant savings in factory floor space arising directly from the dimensions of the MecWash unit, compared with a conventional line of ultrasonic dip tanks, this latest technological step forward by the company offers benefits on a number of different levels. With industry placing ever greater emphasis on consistent` quality, this is seen as an important development which offers definable advantages to an increasing number of manufacturers.