Number
172-EN
Section
General Section
Use
Sector
General manufacturing, e.g. machinery, equipment, vehicles, other transport equipment
Function
Cleaning agent
Solvent
Process
Industrial spraying
Product category
washing ad cleaning products
Application
Cleaning of motorcycle crankshafts
Abstract
An automobile manufacturer integrated a vibration unit into the production line to clean motorcycle crankshafts made of steel from cooling lubricants and chips.
Substituted substances
Aqueous, alkaline cleaner
CAS No. EC No. Index No.
Chemical group
Aqueous solution
Reliability of information
Evidence of implementation: there is evidence that the solution was implemented and in use at time of publication
Reason substitution
other toxic effects
Other type of alternative
Vibration cleaning unit
Hazard Assessment
Substance to be substituted: An alkaline cleaner is a water-based mixture containing surfactants and alkalizing medium which is often classified as skin corrosive. Alternative substance: The use of an alkaline cleaner could be avoided by using a non-chemical cleaning alternative.
Description of Substitution
The conventional cleaning from cooling lubricants and chips per wet cleaning und followed blowing and exhausting requires a lot of energy, water and space. There are incurred also contaminated water and oil sludge. These burden the environment and workers and are also a high-cost factor. The aim was to replace it with an alternative and cost-efficient process. It should be a decentral cleaning station integrated in the production line. Due to the cleaning the parts were heated up. This made its accurate measurement impossible. The oil mist dispersed when measuring and the quality of the cleaning has to be improved. Now the enterprise uses a decentral cleaning vibration station integrated in the production line that no longer uses any cleaning agents. Parts are vibrated by means of electric magnets. The shaken off dirt is taken away by a lateral channel sealer, and removed oils are recycled back to the oil stations for continued use. Using vibration the energy consumption can be reduced considerably. Almost 100% oil recovery contributes to environmental protection and improvement of working conditions.
Case/substitution evaluation
The complicated cleaning process of motorcycle crankshafts using an alkaline cleaner can be replaced by a non-chemical cleaning technology using vibration. Further, the energy consumption can be reduced considerably und cutting oil can be almost completely recovered.
State of implementation
In use
Date and place of implementation
2004 in Germany
Availability ofAlternative
on the market
Producer/Provider
See contact: information supplier
Type of information supplier
Producer / distributor
Contact
Further information
More information can be found in the Cleantool-Database: www2.cleantool.org
Date, reviewed
November 26, 2021