Product category:
Plant Inspection and Cleaning
News Release from: Kerry Ultrasonics | Subject: Microsolve M250/2M
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 14 March 2003
Cleaning solvent consumption cut 85%
Switching to a mono-solvent cleaning system from Kerry Ultrasonics has allowed medical device manufacturer Portex Ltd to reduce solvent consumption by 85%, using environmentally friendly alternative
For environmental reasons, Portex was obliged to move away from solvent 141b, but was concerned about the significant increase in cleaning costs such a step might bring Had Portex persisted with its previous machine, which ran on HCFC 141b, the difference in price between the old solvent and the HFE 72DE that replaced it would have seen the company cleaning expenditure increase six-fold
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 14 Jan 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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A manufacturer of microwave amplifiers has installed a mono-solvent cleaning system from Kerry Ultrasonics to ensure its finishing process carries no risk to either its personnel or the environment
However, by using just 15% of the amount of solvent consumed by the former Portex system, the new Kerry cleaning plant, a Microsolve M250/2M, has managed to avoid any increase in solvent outlay.
The new system removes silicone oil from nasal intubation tubes.
Approximately 200mm long and 10mm in diameter, the PVC tubes must be free of all traces of silicone oil if they are to be successfully printed with ink.
The cleaning process is carried out in a clean room and comprises three stages.
An ultrasonic clean in sump 1 with closed-loop filtration, using the 3M environmental and operator-safe Novec HFE 72DE, is followed by a vapour rinse, the vapour produced by boiling solvent in sump 2.
Finally, tubes dwell in the freeboard area to dry, where the HFE condenses onto the refrigerated cooling coils to return via a water separator to sump 1; contaminated solvent is then displaced into the boiling sump.
This distillation, together with filtration of the solvent, both ensures that the ultrasonic tank is maintained at a controlled level of cleanliness and leaves the tubes free of solvent.
The Microsolve unit is automated with an Autotrans SA (Single Axis) lift, significantly reducing operator time and therefore product cost.
The Autotrans also ensures low solvent consumption due to minimal drag-out.
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