| Large, aluminum door panels can be difficult pieces | | | | change, for easy maintenance. The nozzles and |
| to clean. Used in many applications, including the | | | | headers are customized to optimize the coverage |
| construction of the United States Army's | | | | of parts as well. |
| Hummer vehicle as a skin to be placed over the | | | | After the wash stage but before the rinse stage, |
| armor plate frame, these panels need to be | | | | a blow off feature is installed that was not |
| cleaned quickly and efficiently. This article will | | | | present on the previous machine. Using a stripping |
| serve as an example of how one manufacturer | | | | air knife system running at 25 horsepower and |
| was able to replace an outdated and inefficient | | | | delivering up to 600 cfm of air, the parts will be |
| washing system with one that cleans more | | | | stripped of excess or puddles of water before |
| effectively and the steps that went along with | | | | being sent to rinsing. This stage helps to prevent |
| the transformation. | | | | the cleaner from being carried over to the rinse |
| The original washer had a load/unload stage of 5', | | | | tank from the wash tank, thereby making the |
| a wash stage of 16', and a spray length of 12'. | | | | rinsing stage more effective. There will always be |
| The overall dimensions of the machine measured | | | | wash water rinsed off into the rinse tank, but |
| out to 7' W x 8'H x 76'L. The machine had a | | | | carrying the water on the part and dumping it into |
| 600-gallon washer tank, a 5,000,000 BTU/hr | | | | the rinse tank makes the rinse tank just another |
| heater size and design, and a pump size of | | | | part of the wash tank and diminishes efficiency |
| 481GPM running at 15 PSI. By decreasing some of | | | | and efficacy. |
| these measurements and using a more efficient | | | | After a rinse stage that removes any left over |
| design, the overall design of the washer will be | | | | contaminant or cleaner, the parts will move along |
| reduced and operating costs will be lowered, along | | | | into the final blow off stage. High velocity |
| with an increase in production and quality. | | | | regenerative blowers will be used to strip the |
| First, the loading and unloading stages of the | | | | excess water from the parts. The air manifolds, |
| machine will be increased from the original 5' to 8'. | | | | which utilize air knives with directional nozzles that |
| By adding three to these stages the operators will | | | | create a curtain of air, will be mounted parallel to |
| have the benefit of increased safety while | | | | the spray headers. The blow off stage is further |
| maneuvering the larger panels. The wash stage | | | | enhanced by the addition of a heated blow-off for |
| will be reduced, from 16' to 12'. The smaller length | | | | 2 of the blowers. These heated blowers will be |
| will make it easier to clean the tanks, as well as | | | | adjustable up to 200 degrees and enhance flash |
| keeping the gas burner immersion tube to a | | | | drying. With the increased PSI and more efficient |
| minimal dimension. Still, the 12' length will allow a 10' | | | | air knives used in the blow off stage, the length |
| panel to drain before moving on to the next | | | | will be decreased from 24' down to just 12'. By |
| stage in the process. Once loaded, the parts will | | | | increasing the power of the blow off stage and |
| move through the system in one of two | | | | effectively concentrating it, length is reduced in |
| separate lanes, which are both driven by a single, | | | | half and keeps the footprint of the machine small. |
| common drive motor. The lanes will consist of flat | | | | Additional monetary savings will be made when |
| wire belts on a roller bed, driven by the motor at | | | | the heater used in the machine is replaced. In the |
| approximately 8 feet per minute. Adjustable guide | | | | old machine, a 5,000,000 BTU/hour heater was |
| rails in the tall lane will allow the machine to handle | | | | used. This was necessary in order to maintain a |
| 3 different widths of the panels. | | | | steady temperature using a 500 gallon per minute |
| Spray length will be reduced from 12' to 8'. By | | | | pump flow. In the new design, a 3,000,000 BTU |
| decreasing the pump size, from 500 gallons per | | | | hour system is installed. This results in 2 million |
| minute to 300 gpm, but running at a higher PSI, | | | | less BTUs expended per hour of use and |
| 40 instead of 15, the spray length can be reduced | | | | decreases monthly energy costs. |
| without a drop in wash quality. Since the washer | | | | Finally, by using two lanes for washing and |
| tank has been increased from 600 to 1000, the | | | | speeding up the conveyor, the washer and |
| pump must be size appropriately. Tank volume | | | | therefore the heater only need to operate 8 |
| cannot be less than 3 times the total pump | | | | hours per day. This is 2 times less than the 20 |
| volume or else you can possibly run the pump | | | | hours the old machine was operating. Using the |
| dry. In the previous configuration, the tank was | | | | newest technology available, the burner operates |
| 600 gallons and the pump was running at 481 | | | | at a higher efficiency rate as well, further reducing |
| GPM, which is not the correct ratio. A 1000-gallon | | | | costs. |
| tank and 300GPM pump is more appropriate. The | | | | The overhaul of this particular wash process |
| increase in PSI makes up for the decrease in | | | | illustrates how new technology and an |
| gallon per minute flow and spray bar impingement | | | | experienced vendor can help a manufacturer save |
| time. Also, by installing a larger tank, the time | | | | money and increase productivity. With the |
| before the tank becomes saturated with soil and | | | | advances made in washing technology and design, |
| stamping lubricant is increased, thereby decreasing | | | | it is worthwhile for any company to investigate |
| the amount of time that production must be | | | | whether they could benefit from a change in |
| stalled in order to clean the machine. | | | | process. In this example, the footprint of the |
| In terms of maintenance, the spray stages will | | | | machine was significantly reduced while efficiency |
| also be easier. The pump will be a vertical barrel | | | | was increased and operating costs were |
| mount pump, which can be removed without | | | | decreased. |
| draining the tank. The spray nozzles are quick | | | | |