Parts cleaning Workpiece carriers for automated cleaning processes

The new workpiece carrier system from LK Mechanik is designed for the efficient cleaning of components with films of contamination. In the first stage of development, it consists of thin-walled stainless steel baskets in two sizes, whose sophisticated design ensures optimum cleaning and dripping behaviour and consequently short process times.

For manufacturers and suppliers of components with particularly high demands on technical cleanliness, the new standard basket system, or S basket system for short, from LK Mechanik opens up a wide range of possibilities for process optimisation. Its stainless steel cleaning baskets, developed according to high-purity criteria, are designed for the highly efficient, production-integrated cleaning of workpieces with films of contamination and support the realisation of traceability concepts based on the Data Matrix Code (DMC). When developing the new carrier system, the designers at LK Mechanik primarily focused on very high cleanliness standards and material flow requirements.

The new workpiece cleaning baskets from LK Mechanik were developed as part of a recently completed large-scale project in cooperation with Vacom Cleanfab, one of the cleaning service providers in the high-purity sector. Among other things, the realisation of a system solution for the production-integrated ultra-fine cleaning of medium-sized and small components was on the agenda. Numerous factors therefore had to be taken into account in its development. In addition to the high cleanliness requirements, the geometry of the components, the handling interaction with the cleaning systems, the use of special cleaning chemicals and many other process parameters were also taken into account by the designers at LK Mechanik.

At the heart of the new workpiece carrier system are thin-walled and weight-optimised stainless steel cleaning baskets that can hold up to 25 kg of material. They are stackable and rollable, and are initially available in the two sizes 525 x 310 x 200 mm and 525 x 620 x 400 mm. These are standard dimensions that correlate with almost all cleaning systems currently on the market. Despite their small basket surface and mass-reduced design, they are characterised by high mechanical stability and torsional rigidity. Thanks to their electrolytically treated surfaces as well as harmonised, levelled weld seams and numerous clever details, they ensure very good cleaning and dripping behaviour of the media. "In this way, our baskets minimise carry-over and shorten the drying time, which leads to a reduction in process times," explains Matthias Kroll. The system range also includes compartment dividers, shelves and lids with one-hand locks, as well as product-specific tools for optimal pick-up of the components to be cleaned.

Complete traceability in the process

The new workpiece carriers from LK Mechanik are also designed in such a way that they can be easily integrated into production processes whose traceability is based on the principle of DMC marking. In concrete terms, this means that the washing baskets have Data Matrix Codes on all four sides, which ensure their unique and complete identification - no matter where they are in the cleaning or production process. Thanks to light mechanical connections, the baskets can be processed individually or in pairs. Special gripping points on their front sides also enable easy and automatic handling in lifting, positioning or conveying equipment. Matched to the cleaning of small parts, there is a suitable small parts carrier set (KBTK).

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