Parts2clean Stuttgart (2).Rotary transfer washers

Talking with the more important exhibitors I noted some interesting tendencies: Rotary transfer washers, Robotic Cells , High Pressure wash/deburr… We will talk today of the Rotary Transfer Washers

1)Rotary transfer washers: These machines are defined by an horizontal rotary table who transports the parts to be washed step by step ( transfer) trough different stages of the process . Do not confuse with the rotary table washers where the parts are on a rotary table who rotate the parts itself in a vertical axis in front of the spray jets in a single chamber washer.

We can consider that there are two families of “rotary transfer washers” in automotive applications. The small ones dedicated to small parts (diesel injection components, brake components…)  and the bigger one dedicated to the powertrain parts(cylinder blocks, cylinder heads, crankshafts, gear boxes…)

The small ones are dedicated to clean small components of the injection systems or brake components in racks,fixtures or pallets . Bosch and Siemens are some of the Clients in Germany of these machines and several of their suppliers like Strama , Zippel , Silberhorn , Semmelroth etc.. have supplied this machines with several wash, rinse stations according to their specifications.

     

                                                         

                   

 

The special relationship between Bosch and their suppliers (normally not available with other clients) allows to the manufacturer to built a machine according with the Bosch Process specifications. The number of stations of the machine ,the position of the part in the machine, the filtration, the cycle times… all is defined by the Bosch Process. The manufacturer has to warranty the well functioning of the machine as Bosch take the responsibility of the Process .With this way several manufacturers of special machine tool or assembly machines have started to build washing/cleaning machines and now this activity is an important part of their production. After a certain time to work with these special conditions the manufacturers start to take their own responsibilities and to offer the wash equipements to others clients despite their limited experience compared with one specialised washer manufacturers.

These small rotary transfer machines allowes to treat with precision the wash of small parts with conduits with several rinse stations for better quality in a reduced layout. The load/ unload station allows a manual or automated handling . The wash operation if necessary can be in contact with the part due to the well location of the part on the rotary table and the possibility of a permanent clamp. Vacuum dry is also possible. The support of the parts to be washed on the machine can be individual fixture in the machine table itself , or an removable precision pallet.

As weak points we would say : the driving system accessibility , water splash between stations and internal accessibility. Each manufacturer try to improve their design to diminish these problems. For example some manufacturers have developped mobile vertical recipients in each station to contain the splash between stages( like MTM ) , or to have the driving units on the roof.

A well designed rotary transfer washer is a very good tool for the precision cleaning of small components . These machines allows to have the part clamped during all the treatment , and can have a sophisticated process with spray wash , cavitation wash ,high pressure wash, rinse , blow-off,vacuum dry , protection..in a reduced layout , and with energy efficiency.The prices range of these machines is between 150 and 250.000 euro according wit their performances.

The manufactures coming from the special machine tools activity have a tendency to supply a well built mechanical machines , as the manufacturers coming from the wash/cleaning activity tend to supply a more complex process in number of stations.

Parts2clean Stuttgart exhibition(1)

I was on 28th-30th October ”Parts2clean” exhibition in Stuttgart.This show is an specialised exhibition of wash and cleaning suppliers and some auxiliary equipment like filters and cleanliness controls.The exhibitors were mainly German manufacturers( and they were a lot¡).The ambient in the show was surprisingly animated. A lot of visitors ( quality visitors) and exhibitors Staff.

For an end user is easy and fast to visit several potential suppliers and request quotations in the same day.Inconvenient for the visitors: if you are not German , you will have some difficulties . The exhibitors panels and adds are mainly in German , and the staff present in the booth are not all English spoken( neither in french or Italian , of course).

As the exhibition is very specialised on the wash-cleaning and that the exhibitors shows and present their better and last technologies , this exhibition is also a quick way for their competitors to be aware of the new technologies or tendencies in the sector keeping a hard competition between.Around Stuttgart and Munich are located a big number of wash manufactures allowing the cross transfer of engineers between the manufacturers staffs , information , and clients . Another pole is located at the Nord around Aachen and Dusseldorf.A lot of the exhibitors have the engineering and construction in Germany but they also have facilities in the European east countries (Chekia, Hungary , Poland ) and including some of them they are starting also  facilities in China.

       The number of wash/cleaning manufacturers in Germany is a consequence of the big Market for them. Germany has many mechanical Industries. From small , to medium or big companies. All of them working with mechanical quality requests , so with thigth quality (and cleaning) specifications , with strong Tier1 automotive suppliers .This situation is specific to Germany and there is no other Market in Europe like this.By other side due to this competitive and close connection between competitors there is certain uniformity on the machine design and technique. This maybe is the chance that the few foreign suppliers are looking for ?

The ambient in the exhibition was busy . A lot of value visitors . No crisis ambient at all.

In the next days I’ll annalise more in detail this exhibition with other posts.