CleanTec Days 2024: Silberhorn presents parts cleaning technology

Silberhorn Maschinenbau GmbH hosted the CleanTec Days in-house exhibition at its headquarters in Lupburg in the Upper Palatinate in June 2024. The specialist for the development and construction of systems for industrial parts cleaning and 11 partners as co-exhibitors had put together an informative program for visitors, including specialist lectures, tours of the company premises both in Lupburg and at Silberhorn Blechtechnik GmbH in Brunn and an industrial exhibition. This time, the focus of the CleanTec Days was the presentation of the new compact chamber cleaning system MWS 6. Two years ago, at the CleanTec Days 2022, Silberhorn Maschinenbau, which is active in special plant construction among other things, presented the MWS 4, a series model for industrial component cleaning. The new MWS 6 chamber cleaning system is the large version of the MWS 4 and meets customer requirements for even more power. It is manufactured in series, is extremely compact, technically innovative and can be perfectly adapted to individual cleaning requirements thanks to numerous options. On top of this, it offers a significantly higher parts throughput than the MWS 4, is even more efficient and extremely flexible in use. The technical highlights of the MWS 6 include an optional 8-fold swivel register for maximum cleanliness requirements, a choice of 2, 3 or 4 tanks for cleaning liquids, 4 cleaning modes (spray, flood and ultrasonic cleaning as well as scooping) and 3 different drying modes. It is operated intuitively via the state-of-the-art HMI control software, can be flexibly loaded with one or two small baskets and is nevertheless compact - the system fits into a 20-foot container.

The Silberhorn development department provided exciting insights and outlooks for trade visitors at the CleanTec Days. For example, the HIP and HIP+ alternating pressure cleaning systems were presented. This will soon allow geometrically complex parts - such as those with fine bores or undercuts - to be cleaned particularly effectively and gently. The cleaning chamber is flooded. By moving the components in a targeted manner, most of the air escapes from the component cavities, which fill with cleaning fluid. A vacuum is then created in the chamber. Any remaining air pockets expand and also escape. The negative pressure is further increased - to just below the vapor pressure. Water vapor bubbles are created, which push the cleaning fluid out of even the most difficult to reach areas, and with it the dirt particles. The vacuum is then released, fresh cleaning fluid flows in and the process starts all over again. Ultrasound is also used for stubborn dirt deposits, transforming the chamber into a kind of high-performance whirlpool for parts cleaning. Another innovation highlight presented at the CleanTec Days in-house exhibition is partial parts cleaning. In future, this will show its strengths when parts that have already been cleaned become partially contaminated again during the production process - for example, due to subsequent milling work or test runs. Previously, affected components had to be completely cleaned again. This is time-consuming, expensive and in some cases not even possible - for example, if sensitive electronics have already been installed. Silberhorn's solution to this is called "partial parts cleaning". The innovative process uses a type of hood. This is placed on the contaminated area. All cleaning and drying processes take place under the hood: targeted at the contaminated area and highly efficient.