Cold heading is one of the most competitively cost driven metal forming industries. Large volumes of parts are produced against paper-thin margins, causing cold headers to re-evaluate their methods of processing parts constantly, always seeing for economy and faster alternatives.
The parts cleaning theory is one of the generally evaluated areas of production. This theory is expensed with removing the large amounts of soil residue left over from the forming process. Clubs are on the look out for the most productive way to remove this residue and dry the part.
Pressure Transducer
The most productive cleaning recipe for cold heading operations is to use a hermetically sealed solvent cleaning system. This theory will remove all oils and chips from even the tightest deep threads, then will dry the part wholly in a singular batch cycle. This style theory must be done in large batches though in order to include the solvent vapors within the system.
For those manufacturers seeing to clean their stock in singular piece or continuous flow as part of a multi carrying out manufacturing line, there are alternatives. Three of the coarse cleaning processes are cylinder loaded baskets for agitated dip tanks, rotary baskets, and baskets on a acceptable belt conveyor.
Hand-Loaded Agitation Tanks
With this system, a basket of parts are cylinder push loaded from an indexing conveyor onto a grated shelf. The shelf lowers in a steel tank. A pump or ultrasonic transducer agitates the tank, and the operation of the chemistry's surfactant combined with the multiple mechanical actions of the pump/ultrasonic waves or the lifting and lowering into the explication breaks the surface tension of the soil on the parts.
There are few benefits and any disadvantages to this system. The dual mechanical operation may be productive in removing soil. However, the parts have to be raised through the tank to be removed from the system, which exposes them to the contamination that was just removed.
Water does not break the surface tension of the soil as well as a solvent does so cleaning is not as effective. Part layering in the basket shields the middle layers of parts from the useful mechanical cleaning action. In addition, the parts exit the machine wet instead of dry.
Rotating Basket System
This theory is similar to the agitated dip tank in function, but with an further mechanical operation of turning the basket over. Rotating systems are relatively straightforward operations. They send fluid from different tanks to a singular process area and then dry the parts in the same area. They can be large systems, using a series of multiple dip tanks and complex material handling designs that transfer the parts.
Benefits of this theory are more numerous than the agitated dip tank. The multiple mechanical actions (spinning, pump spray, and ultrasonic) in conjunction with an aggressive chemical surfactant package remove the soil. When a sophisticated, self-acting material-handling theory is included in the design output rates are increased. The automation also decreases labor time for the operators. The expanding of a drying stage obviously creates drier parts than the agitated dip tanks.
There are negatives with the rotating basket system. The transfer theory used to converyance the baskets is sensitive to wear. All the parts in the theory rely upon each other, meaning feebleness or contrast in one component will create problems for the rest and impede the cleaning process. In addition, the parts voyage out of the baths in a manner similar to the agitated dip tanks, occasion up the possibility of re-contamination.
Baskets on acceptable Belt Conveyor
This process employs a acceptable multiple stage belt washer. Parts are loaded into baskets, and transferred to the washer via hand, gravity roller, powered roller, or a pick and place gantry. The pump sprays the part in a 360-degree fashion. The major advantage of this recipe is that the parts are not brought up through a soil layer, eliminating the threat of recontamination.
However, parts are still located in baskets on top of each other. The inside of the stack is not guaranteed a consistent impingement of fluid spray.
Examining these options demonstrates the petite capabilities of a washer. It must automatically and continuously transfer parts to, in, and from the washer. It needs multiple mechanical operation and cleaner to lift soil. The carrying out must not drag parts back through the soil. Every part must be exposed to the cleaning, and they must be dry when complete. Also, the inventory of dirty parts must be limited. The longer they sit, the harder they are to clean.
Rotary Auger Drum
The Rotary Auger Drum theory can accomplish each of these goals better than the three former systems. This style forgoes the basket, and provides a continuous flow of parts through each stage. An auger style fin rotates with the drum to drive parts one at a time through the discrete cleaning stages.
The main advantage of this theory is the potential to clean parts at the speed they are introduced to the system, limiting dirty inventory. The parts are not re-contaminated at any point in the system. There is less labor involved, because the theory has petite or no operator interface. The footprint of the machine is small as well, since it only needs to wash one small variety of parts at a time. The whole part is exposed continuously and consistently to the cleaning process, unlike in basket systems, and then is able to dry once clean.
Through the use of "in-process" fluid treatment, the estimate of soil in the washer can be controlled via in line particulate filtration and oil discharge devices. This is a critical expanding to the machine or else it will come to be saturated and inefficient.
The best way to operate the wash process is by continuously washing a few parts at once, using multiple actions and clean water. The rotary auger drum is the best option for this, and will help a firm allege their high output and quality.
In-Line Metal Cleaning For Cold Heading Operationssubmersible pressure transducer