CLEANING OF COMPONENTS
CLEANING PROCEDURES FOR EVERY COMPONENT. FROM GROB DIRT TO HIGH PURITY.
Chips and coolant after machining, drawing greases, emulsions, polishing pastes: every combination of material, geometry and cleanliness requirement leads to a different solution. There is no single process that suits every situation.
The key lies in the interplay of mechanics, cleaning chemistry, temperature and time – and the cleaning system that puts this into practice. Here you will find an overview of the processes: how they work, what they are suitable for and where their limitations lie.
Cleaning methods at a glance.
| Method | Mode of action | Typical for | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spray cleaning | Nozzle jet, 3–8 bar (up to 60 bar) | Less complex components, standard cleanliness | Does not reach undercuts and blind holes |
| Flood and pressure flood cleaning | Component in the bath, flow rate up to 40 bar | Complex geometries, full baskets, stubborn dirt | Higher consumption of cleaning agents and energy |
| Immersion cleaning | Chemical dissolution in the bath | Oils, greases, adhering swarf | Rarely sufficient on its own, usually used in combination |
| Ultrasonic cleaning | Cavitation, 25 kHz or 25/75 kHz dual-frequency | Ultra-fine cleaning, low residual contamination levels | Blind spots with dense loading |
| High-pressure cleaning | Targeted jet with high pressure up to 2,200 bar | Deburring, stubborn clamped chips | Material-dependent pressure limit |
Water-based cleaning
In aqueous cleaning, the work is done by water and a cleaning agent matched to the task – not by a solvent. Today this is the standard in industrial parts cleaning: low-risk in terms of occupational health and safety, gentler on the environment, straightforward in disposal and finely adjustable through cleaning agent, temperature, mechanical action and time. Without solvents there are no volatile emissions, no solvent residues on the component, and no special requirements for storage or disposal.
All of the processes below are aqueous processes. They differ in how the mechanical energy reaches the component – and that is exactly what determines which process suits your cleaning task.
High-pressure cleaning
Water emerges from a nozzle with high kinetic energy and mechanically removes the contamination. Pressures of 3 to 8 bar are standard, whilst pressures of up to 60 bar are possible. The result depends less on the pressure than on the arrangement of the nozzles and the relative movement between the component and the nozzle.
Jet cleaning is suitable for less complex components and for standard cleanliness requirements. Where the jet cannot reach – undercuts, blind holes, tightly packed cleaning baskets – it reaches its limits. In such cases, immersion cleaning or ultrasonic cleaning is the better option.
Silberhorn cleaning machines that use jet cleaning:
Flood and high-pressure flood cleaning
In high-pressure flood cleaning, the component is completely submerged in the cleaning fluid, whilst nozzles in the tank generate a powerful jet of fluid at pressures of up to 40 bar. This creates a vortex similar to that in a whirlpool, which reaches even bores, cavities and undercuts. This makes pressure-flood cleaning the method of choice for stubborn contamination, complex geometries and fully loaded cleaning baskets.
Silberhorn cleaning machines that utilise flood and pressure flood cleaning:
Floods caused by water being drawn from the river
In the dip-flushing process, the chamber is filled only halfway or up to a defined level, whilst nozzles create additional turbulence. The components are submerged and then raised again with every rotation of the basket. The cleaning fluid repeatedly flows in and out of the component’s contours, flushing out contaminants – even from hard-to-reach areas.
Silberhorn cleaning machines that use the dip-flushing method:
Immersion cleaning
The component is completely submerged in the bath. Oils, greases and adhering metal swarf are dissolved primarily by the chemical action of the cleaner, whilst the mechanical movement of the basket enhances this effect. Processes such as pickling or rust removal following thermal deburring require the component to be completely wetted – and immersion ensures this. In practice, immersion cleaning is rarely used on its own. It is most effective when combined with other methods – such as ultrasonics for fine structures or pressurised flushing for complex components.
Silberhorn cleaning machines that utilise immersion cleaning:
Ultrasonic cleaning
In the bath, transducers generate ultrasonic waves. This creates vapour bubbles which implode – this cavitation effect dislodges particles even from the finest structures and hard-to-reach surfaces. We tailor the amplitude, frequency and duration to the specific component.
You can choose between 25 kHz for coarser contamination and dual-frequency ultrasonics at 25/75 kHz for ultra-precise cleaning and low residual contamination levels. This makes ultrasonic cleaning the method of choice for high cleanliness requirements – for example, in medical technology, precision parts manufacturing and high-purity applications.
Silberhorn cleaning machines that utilise ultrasonic cleaning:
High-pressure cleaning
In high-pressure cleaning, the water jet strikes the component at a significantly higher speed. The main applications are deburring and the removal of stubborn clamping chips. In robotic cells, the jet can be directed precisely to specific areas of the component.
The appropriate pressure depends on the material:
- Aluminium: 300 to 400 bar
- Cast steel: up to 600 bar
- Steel: up to approximately 900 bar
- Stainless steel: up to 1,500 bar
- Special applications: up to 2,200 bar
Silberhorn cleaning machines that use high-pressure cleaning:
Preservation and Passivation
After cleaning, the component’s surface is bare – and therefore vulnerable. During preservation, a protective film is applied by dipping or spraying, which, depending on the medium used, provides protection against corrosion for up to two years.
This is advisable wherever there is a delay between cleaning and further processing: during prolonged storage, during sea transport, or for components that are only to be fitted at a later stage.
Silberhorn cleaning machines capable of preserving/passivating using a special cleaner:
Which process is right for your component?
This question can be answered more quickly by examining the component itself than from behind a desk. Send us your parts: we will carry out a free wash test at our technical centre, analyse the results in our own VDA-accredited test laboratory, and recommend a combination of cleaning and drying processes that will reliably meet your requirements.
Your direct point of contact:
ThomasHumpmayer
Head of Cleaning & Technical Services Department