Process Capabilities

Our washer designs generally utilize "high force/close proximity" hot water or neutral/ alkaline Ph spraying schemes to remove stamping oils, drawing lubricants, fluxes, and metal fines from a wide range of metal substrates. We are also well experienced with the process inclusion of electrocleaning, radial ultrasonics, and a variety of acid chemistries and rust preventatives as the situation warrants. In addition, each design focuses on providing finished product that is 100% dry when exiting the washer. Dryer systems, using either heated compressed or high volume/low pressure air, may be free-standing, modular, or combined with-in washer modules.

Our "Standard" Hot Water spray process is used by 60% + of our in-line customers and is currently being used at speeds up to 300 FPM. The success of our "hot water only" cleaning process utilizes the combination of high force sprays, high temperatures (140-180 F), fast removal of floating oils, and the minimization of drag-out.

• Force is directly proportional to nozzle flow rate and pump pressure, and indirectly proportional to nozzle proximity to the strip. By combining multiple high flow nozzles in close proximity to the strip or cable with high-pressure pumps, we are able to direct and maximize spray force onto the product. As an added benefit, high flow nozzles are very low maintenance.
  
• The rule of thumb for cleaning temperature is that you double your cleaning effectiveness for every 10 F of temperature rise. At 140-180 F the force of hot water cleaning is very effective at removing oils. When multiple spray stations are used, each tank is heated and all tanks are well insulated to minimize heat loss.
  
• By removing floating oils from the process quickly, we create a steady-state process and avoid their redeposition onto the product and/or drag-out into the next process chamber. To accomplish this, we divide a process tank into a process sump and an oil collection sump with a disc skimmer. Process solution is pumped to the spray chamber and drained to the process tank where it is directed in such a way as to push floating oils to an overflow weir at the back of the tank. A highly efficient, low maintenance disc skimmer then removes oils quickly to a concentrated oil container. This system has been especially effective when large volumes of thick foamy oil and particulate removal are required.
  
• Hot water use minimizes process cost and environmental/safety issues when compared to the use of cleaning solutions.

Where the situation arises when absolutely no oil may be left on a product, mildly alkaline or neutral soap cleaners with low wetting ability are used in place of hot water. In this instance, soap sprays or in-line radial ultrasonics (for strip) may be used for cleaning. Note : For carbon smut and heavy oxide removal, alkaline electrocleaning and acid desmutting can be used.

Actual Applications

Our compact Continuous Tube & Strip washers are successfully cleaning & drying the following,

• Aluminum Coaxial Cable up to 1.5" Dia. prior to extrusion coating @ 350 FPM.
  
• Stainless Steel Strip for Fluxed Cored Welding Cable prior to flux addition and roll forming @ 200 FPM.
  
• Stainless Steel Convoluted Gas Line Tubing up to 1.75" Dia. following seam welding and prior to annealing @ 30 FPM.
  
• Multi-strand Razor Blade stamped strip prior to annealing @ 50 FPM
  
• "Delicate" fine wire mesh up to 52" wide in a horizontal pass @ 20 FPM.
  
• Varieties of single and multiple strand copper alloy and SS stamped reel-to-reel electrical connectors following Hi-Speed Presses @ speeds to 100 FPM
  
• Wire Braided SS flexible tubing @ 50 FPM
  
• Various products on rebuilt competitor washers with newly designed spray chambers, tank tops, and/or spray chamber doors. We can rebuild an entire washer or upgrade only those areas requiring attention.

Our loose piece parts washers are successfully cleaning and drying product in "cell" set-ups :

• Carousel "wash/rinse/dry" washer in a cell set-up with robotic loading and unloading for difficult to clean aluminum carburetors with deep small diameter bore holes.
  
• In-line conveyor washing, cool down, and drying of steel ball bearing housings.
  
• Mini-conveyor cell washing of heavy cast iron unions with rust preventative sprays.
  
  

• Portable Plating Tanks for a connector plating research lab.
  
• Portable 55 gallon 1" thick polypropylene venturi vacuum for a plating job shop.
  
• Portable ion exchange resin columns used on electrical connector precious metal plating lines.
  
• All SS "enclosed" oil skimmers on alkaline soap tank tops.

Customer Testimonials

The cleaning efficiency of our in-line washers is excellent. The washers consistently clean our product faster and more completely than the washers they replaced. The washer has allowed us to reduce the frequency of several PM items from twice per day to once a week. The turnkey design of the washer, build quality, follow-up services were all excellent. We only needed to supply power and turn it on.

- S. Rollins, Razor Blade Mfg. Engineer

P.S. Ltd. has helped us find solutions to our cleaning problems while other companies were just compounding our problems. Our washers receive heavy 24/7 use and yet perform to our cleaning requirements with minimal maintenance and virtually any unscheduled downtime. A CE Mark unit was also purchased for our overseas operations, which speaks to our confidence in the design and quality of the washers and our confidence in Portable Solutions Ltd. We feel that the relationship we have enjoyed with PS Ltd. since 1999 has been of great value to our operations.

- A. Bryant, Broad Band Cable Mfg. Engineer

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106 Ivy Street • York, PA 17402
717-515-0511
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