More than just cleaning: Dry ice blasting for mould cleaning

Case Study More than just cleaning: Dry ice blasting for mould cleaning

2018-01-01Editor: Rosemarie Stahl

Based in the Swiss Rüthi, Säntis AG is a leader in the field of co-extruded multilayer films and injection-moulded packaging solutions in the food and non-food sectors. Säntis cleans its injection moulds with a dry ice blasting unit from Asco Carbon Dioxide Ltd. This allows for cleaning production tools gentle and efficient and therefore manufacture moulds more cost-effectively.

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Sänti cleans its injection mould in order to free it from adhering residues after the injection.
(Source: Asco)

Säntis is an European market leader for co-extruded multi-layer film. Among its products are barrier film and trays, which can be filled in a modified atmosphere. In the plastics sector, Säntis films are high-quality semi-finished products for food packaging of all kinds, crystal-clear or in stimulating colors.

Säntis plastic films are intended for diverse requirements and the optimal presentation of food and non-food products. Säntis produces products made to order and custom on Säntis’s own extrusion lines. In the area of injection molding, the company mainly produces lids and closures, which are also provided with JMLs.

According to Asxo, the latest Asco Nanojet delivers a precise, efficient and noise-reduced operation. (Asco)

Cleaing moulds with dry ice blasting is very gentle and efficient

Injection moulding is one of the most widespread processes for the production of plastic parts. Säntis uses an injection moulding machine for liquefying the used material. The liquid is then injected in a mould under pressure. In order to free the injection moulding tools from adhering residues afterwards, the long-established company Säntis AG decided to clean the tool parts with dry ice. Mr Gartler, constructor at Säntis AG, explains the advantages that Asco dry ice blasting offers to the company: "Cleaning our injection moulds with Asco dry ice blasting technology was well worth it for us. The Asco cleaning method allows to clean the moulds very gently and yet efficiently. Since it is not necessary to remove the moulds, they can be cleaned directly in the machine which guarantees shorter downtimes and greater efficiency. This allows us to drastically reduce maintenance times – a crucial success factor as it increases production efficiency significantly."

From right to left: Peter Schneider (Head of Production at Säntis), Dominik Gartler (Maintenance at Säntis) and José Fernandez (Asco Application Technician/Sales Dry Ice Application).
(Source: Asco)

Asco offers dry ice blasting machines specially developed for the plastics industry. Only recently, the latest Asco blasting machine Asco Nanojet was introduced. Especially injection moulders appreciate this new product launch as it allows significant cost savings in mould and tool cleaning. Characteristic features of the Asco dry ice blasting technology are very simple handling, low air consumption and a handy blasting gun with a short and specially developed plastic nozzle.

Additional Information

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Asco Carbon Dioxide at a glance

Swiss Asco Carbon Dioxide Ltd is a provider of complete CO₂ and dry ice solutions with customers worldwide. The product range includes CO₂ production and CO₂ recovery plants, dry ice blasting units, dry ice production machines, CO₂ cylinder filling systems, CO₂ vaporisers, CO₂ storage tanks, CO₂ dosing systems for water neutralisation and various other CO₂ and dry ice equipment.

Thanks to this broad product range and more than 130 years of practical experience in the wide field of CO₂ and dry ice, customers benefit from individual, complete CO₂ solutions from a single source. Since 2007 Asco has been part of the international industrial gas enterprise Messer Group and is its competence centre for CO₂. By joining forces with the German Buse Gastek GmbH & Co. KG, based in Bad Hönningen, in the year 2014, the expertise and product portfolio was pooled and significantly expanded. This applies in particular to the complex field of CO₂ recovery. In July 2016, the US subsidiary Asco Carbon Dioxide Inc, based in Jacksonville/Florida, was founded.

José Fernandez, Application Technician/Sales Dry Ice Application, explains the pioneering position of Asco in the field of dry ice blasting: "The Asco blasting process is not just a cleaning process, but an overall concept in which quality assurance and process reliability are top priorities. The diverse fields of application of dry ice blasting are still not exhausted. Asco has therefore specialised in providing customised solutions for the industry and our customers."

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