Plastics Fibres & Chemicals
There are dozens of way to create and shape plastic based materials - injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming, etc. The equipment used in these processes use screws, dies, molds, breaker plates, spin-packs, tips, hot runners, filters, heat exchangers, tri-mesh screens, and many other types of tooling.
Changes in process materials or colors as well as simple maintenance can require that the tooling and equipment be cleaned. Some operators still clean expensive equipment using abrasive manual techniques (torches, brushes, sanders, and drills). Others use costly technology such as fluidized beds or salt baths that rely on expensive and complicated systems to capture fumes created in the cleaning process. Repetitive manual cleaning will in time result in mechanical damage to expensive tooling, thus reducing the life of the part. Manual cleaning can also cause injury to employees.
Today's operating environments require ongoing quality and timely and affordable maintenance of equipment in a working environment of employee safety and environmental stewardship. Quality, affordable, safe, easy and inexpensive to operate.
SOLUTION:
Tools, dies screws, and other equipment needing to be cleaned of
polymers, can be cleaned in our Controlled Pyrolysis Cleaning Furnaces.
Our Inert Gas model was specifically developed to meet the higher level
cleaning needs of the Plastics, Fiber and Chemical industries.
Parts and equipment to be cleaned are loaded onto a movable cart or rack
and loaded into the Furnace for cleaning. Depending on the polymer to be
cleaned, the oven will operate at a processing temperature between
370-540°C. Tooling is fully protected with minimal effect on rockwell
hardness or nitriting. By pyrolysis - the chemical breakdown of the
material, caused by the action of heat - the organic based polymer is
converted into a carbon-based smoke. The smoke is then passed through an
afterburner operating at 850°C. leaving only odorless and harmless water
vapor and carbon dioxide to exit through the exhaust stack. Emissions
are state and federal EPA compliant.
After processing, the parts will be clean except for a small amount of
inorganic ash that can easily wiped or blown from the cleaned parts.
Rare applications (such as spinnerets with small holes) may require a
short treatment in an ultrasonic bath. Production rejects can also be
placed in the furnace to remove the plastic coatings and allow for
re-manufacture. Average operating costs are between £2-£5 per cleaning
cycle depending upon oven size.
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