Ultrasonic cleaning cuts saw blade reject rate

Citation

(1999), "Ultrasonic cleaning cuts saw blade reject rate", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 46 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.1999.12846aab.010

Ultrasonic cleaning cuts saw blade reject rate

Methods

Ultrasonic cleaning cuts saw blade reject rate

Keywords Cleaning, Corrosion, Kerry, Steel, Ultrasonic

Kerry informs us that although the circular saw blades from Black and Decker's South Yorkshire manufacturing site were previously cleaned carefully by hand, the problem of corrosion, especially in humid weather, meant that many blades were rejected. Since installing an ultrasonic cleaner from Kerry Ultrasonics, however, the problem of corrosion has been removed (Plate 3).

The steel blades, which range from 170-400mm in diameter with varying tooth sizes, are used in power saws. After manufacture they are either packaged separately or as part of a Black and Decker saw, and despatched to retail outlets. Any corrosion will therefore make them unsaleable.

"To clean and protect the blades from corrosion manually was very labour and time intensive", explained Lindsay Graves, senior process engineer. "It was also not particularly cost-effective as many blades rusted and had to be scrapped. The appeal of using the ultrasonic cleaner is that it is quick and the high quality repeatable. As soon as the process is finished the blades are ready to be laser-marked".

The five-stage process cleans, dries and coats the blades. First of all the blades are cleaned in an ultrasonic bath of Okite Super Rust Ripper, which includes caustic soda, at 80°C to remove any corrosion. The blades are then rinsed before being placed in another ultrasonic bath containing Galvex, which removes oil and inhibits corrosion. Following another rinse at 80°C, the blades are dried as they are lifted from the rinsing tank and then immersed in a final oil bath to be given a protective coating. The blades are slowly withdrawn from the bath so that the surface tension of the oil pulls off the excess oil without dripping, leaving a thin, protective layer.

Plate 3 Black & Decker has installed an ultrasonic cleaner from Kerry Ultrasonics at its South Yorkshire manufacturing site to clean and coat its circular saw blades

With Kerry's ultrasonic cleaner incorporating processes previously carried out in stages and the blades stored in between, the time it takes to get the blades out into the shops has been drastically cut. A rack of blades is now cleaned, dried and coated in 25 minutes, ready to be laser-printed and packaged. With a PLC-controlled automated arm, racks can be loaded into the cleaner every seven minutes.

"Adopting automated ultrasonic cleaning has saved us many man-hours", commented Lindsay Graves. "Installation was quick and its speed and consistently high cleaning quality has helped increase productivity".

For further details contact: Kerry Ultrasonics Ltd. Tel: +44 (0)1462 450761; Fax +44 (0)1462 420712.