ICT - TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW
In-Line CO2 Snow-Jet Cleaning Process to Clean Lighting Components Before Coating. Reject Rate Significantly Lower Since Changing Over to Different Cleaning System Doris Schulz ds@pressetextschulz.de
A
n American manufacturer of highquality injection-molded parts found out that the efficiency of
different snow-jet cleaning systems can vary dramatically. Since the changeover
© acp – advanced clean production
SCHULZ. PRESSE. TEXT., Korntal, Germany
covers and door components. “Every day, among other parts, we produce around 25,000 reflectors for headlamps from Bulk Molding Compounds (BMC), which are coated and metalized using PVD processes” reports CEO Rick Taylor.
to the quattroClean technology from acp, the company has been able to reduce the lighting components, which are cleaned
Cleaning decisive to product quality
before being coated, to almost zero.
Before being coated, the reflectors
Nanogate Jay Systems was founded as
undergo a cleaning step to remove dirt
the plastics division of the family-run
due to handling, fingerprints and de-
American company Jay Industries in
burring residues. To improve cleaning
1968. The company, which has had a
results and integrate this process step
majority interest in the Nanogate Group
into the production line, some time ago
contamination-related reject rate of vehicle
since 2017, specializes in manufacturing
the company invested in two CO2 cleaning
high-quality injection-molded parts from thermoset and thermoplastic materials,
systems from different manufacturers. 1
as well as in applying high-tech surface coatings. The company’s portfolio covers product design, materials development and manufacture, tool making, injection
However, the performance of both systems was poor. One proved to be
Figure 1: The patented two-component ring nozzle ensures good and even cleaning results. The array used by Nanogate Jay Systems is fitted with twelve nozzles.
molding, coating, metalizing, finishing and
inefficient because approx. 40 percent of the carbon dioxide was wasted rather than being used for the process. With the other system, cleaning results were poor,
assembly. Customers of Nanogate Jay
causing an extremely high contamination-
Systems include the automotive industry
of the headlamps for trucks and passenger
related reject rate of around 10 percent.
and manufacturers of household appliances,
vehicles from leading OEM’s. It also makes
The CEO therefore started looking around
as well as companies from other areas of
exterior panels, roof coverings and ABC
for a more efficient cleaning system. “On
industry. The main applications are parts
pillars, as well as interior fittings ranging from
a visit to one of our parent companies
for lights – the company produces most
center consoles to dashboards, loudspeaker
in Germany, I noticed the quattroClean
146
N. 51 - MAY/JUNE 2018 - international PAINT&COATING magazine
