| This residue clogs the machine, and makes it | | | | |
| difficult for the washer to produce a clean | | | | 8. Remove solution and dispose. |
| product. | | | | |
| | | | 9. Inspect all gaskets, nozzles, and filters. |
| It is common for a company to believe that | | | | Replace if necessary. |
| "cleaning the washer" means replacing the | | | | |
| water and solution in the machine that is | | | | 10. Fill wash tank with proper chemistry. |
| used for the cleaning. Simply changing the | | | | |
| water in the machine is not enough to clean | | | | Cleaning the washer is a difficult and long |
| the washer. To truly clean the machine, | | | | task. Performing this process will require a |
| attention must be paid to the entire process. | | | | person or team willing to handle one of the |
| | | | dirtiest jobs in a plant. There are products |
| Soil accumulates in every part of the washer. | | | | and add-ons that can be purchased that will |
| Nozzles, heating devices, inside pump | | | | stretch the length of time between total |
| housings, material-handling components, as | | | | system clean outs. |
| well as the side walls of the fluid and blow | | | | |
| off stages. There can also be a tremendous | | | | Nothing can replace manual cleaning, however |
| accumulation of soil inside the plumbing | | | | these products will help keep the washer |
| itself. The soil contamination prevents the | | | | cleaner for longer. |
| washer from performing to its abilities, | | | | |
| resulting in parts that are not clean, which | | | | 1. In-process fluid treatments.a. Screen |
| means the washer becomes a waste of floor | | | | baskets to catch large particles before the |
| space. | | | | cleaning fluid re-enters the tank.b. |
| | | | Particulate removing filter bags or filter |
| Cleaning the washer to ensure high | | | | paper systems that hold tighter microns as |
| performance can take from 4 to 12 hours. | | | | water is pumped from the tank to the spray |
| Naturally many companies do not wish to lose | | | | manifolds.c. Magnetic collection units to |
| this amount of production time, but making | | | | attract metal dust.d. Oil-water separation |
| the time sacrifice when it is deemed | | | | systems to remove free-floating oil from |
| necessary will ensure parts are clean to the | | | | water, and thereby return clean water to the |
| specification of the customer and avoid | | | | tank.e. Cleaning chemistries that split oil |
| future problems. | | | | instead of holding it in suspension, making |
| | | | oil-water separation easier.f. Making use of |
| Cleaning the machine and restoring | | | | oil-based or semi-synthetic metal forming |
| performance capability to affected areas can | | | | lubricant, allowing oil-water separators to |
| be broken down into a nine-step process. | | | | do their jobs easier. |
| | | | |
| 1. Schedule 4 to 12 hours of production down | | | | 2. Use quick fit nozzles. These nozzles can |
| time to clean the washer. | | | | be removed easily with a quarter turn and |
| | | | pull, and then replaced within seconds. |
| 2. Add descaling solution, at a 10-15% | | | | |
| concentration ratio, to attack hard water | | | | 3. Use quick-fit Victaulic or grooved piping |
| salts, sludge, and scale buildup. The | | | | instead of threaded piping for manifold |
| surfactants in the solution loosen the | | | | connectors. These pipes can be cleaned |
| buildup, making removal easier. | | | | quickly and easily with compressed air and a |
| | | | snake. |
| 3. Remove nozzles and filter media from the | | | | |
| washer. | | | | 4. Install a Blow off section spray down |
| | | | manifold. This manifold is automatically fed |
| 4. Turn up the heat and run the pumps with no | | | | from the rinse pump for 5 minutes each time |
| nozzles or filters for up to an hour. | | | | the washer shuts down. This sprays away oils, |
| (Running with no back pressure, which is | | | | dried chemicals and particles that have been |
| created by the nozzles puts too much pressure | | | | carried over to the blow off stage. With the |
| on the pump motor. This will burn the pump | | | | spray coming on with only the blower and the |
| motor out if allowed to run free for an | | | | conveyor running, the fluid easily drains |
| extended period.) | | | | back to the rinse tank where it can be |
| | | | treated with the other soils. |
| 5. Replace the nozzles only and run the | | | | |
| heated descaling solution while the conveyor | | | | Using a combination of these products will |
| and blower are on. Run machine for 4-8 hours | | | | keep your washer running cleaner, longer. |
| to dislodge caked soil. | | | | This is especially useful for companies that |
| | | | have a difficult time finding employees to |
| 6. Remove solution and dispose. | | | | perform the manual maintenance necessary. |
| | | | While these products do not replace manual |
| 7. Power spray the inside of the entire unit. | | | | cleaning, when the time comes, the company |
| Spray the tank, conveyor, fluid stages, blow | | | | can place a call to the washer vendor and |
| off stage, heating coils and anywhere soil | | | | begin a maintenance contract to ensure the |
| can be seen. | | | | work is performed correctly. |