Expertise

Fraunhofer-Business Area Cleaning has a variety of cleaning technologies available for industrial cleaning that can be selected, adapted and put to use as needed. Cleaning technologies range from mechanical jets, such as dry-ice jets, compressed air jets with solid blasting agents, water jets and abrasive water jets, as well as plasma cleaning methods, laser beam cleaning through to non-enclosed non-thermal electron beam processes and wet-chemical cleaning methods such as ultrasound and spray cleaning.

In order to be able to react flexibly to changing markets, customers of Fraunhofer-Business Area Cleaning can be provided with autonomous and modular turn-key solutions for cleaning systems. The expertise of the participating institutes is demonstrated by their systematic ap proach to defining a concept, followed by the design and implementation of cleaning systems and their sub-systems. In providing integrated solutions, Fraunhofer Cleaning implements a modular architecture that allows components to be used in existing equipment and systems and in those to be developed.

Contaminants such as particles, oily films and other undesirable substances not only impair the appearance of a workpiece but also its ability to be processed further and to perform its final intended function. Increasing demands on functionality and reliability, the pursuit of zero-defect quality targets and, last not least, the improvement of existing products, all call for greater use of surface analysis techniques. These analyses are used to identify the causes of disruptions or the source of particles or filmy residues, and to maintain full control of the production process at all times.

The degree of cleanliness required for components and assemblies has risen steadily over the past few years, particularly in the automotive and medical engineering sectors. Functional quality is directly linked to the existence of particle contamination, and its quantitative detection in any component depends on the testing methods used. Even the most minute particle contaminants can cause a component or an assembly unit to fail, and this in turn can lead to the failure of the machine, or the entire technical installation.

Replicable product quality depends on reliable processes. Knowledge of the crucial parameters influencing cleaning processes, and the ability to maintain full control of the process at all time, belongs to the key know-how required to plan and secure processing capability. A comprehensive quality assurance strategy for the cleaning chain is required to ensure that the cleaning results achieved remain unaltered on their way to the end user, or to the next step in the manufacturing process. Quality assurance encompasses the original condition of the object to be cleaned, the cleaning itself, inspection after cleaning, and subsequent steps in the manufacturing process and logistics.

Superior quality in manufacturing is absolutely dependent on the technical cleanliness of semi-finished products, components and their functional surfaces, as well as the conditions under which production takes place. System components are shrinking in size even as they become technically more complex. Cleaning processes, as a result, are becoming increasingly elaborate and costly.

The surface plays a decisive role in enabling engineered materials to fulfi ll their purpose. For this reason, numerous coating technologies are used to create or improve functions performed by the surfaces of various base materials, such as reducing friction, protecting against wear or corrosion, or even adding decorative attributes.

Clean, hygienic or even sterile production environments, or a corresponding control of the final products’ quality and standards of cleanliness, thus take on pre-eminent significance in the manufacturing process.

The crucial role played by cleaning in manufacturing is becoming ever more apparent. Cleaning technology is an integral part of the manufacturing process chain and an interdisciplinary topic of relevance to mechanical and plant engineering as well as in manufacturing and process engineering.

Do you use cleaning processes in your production or offer products and services related to industrial component cleaning? Then you are surely interested in a current market overview and latest trends in this field!