Getting a “cutting” edge.

This month Sonic cleaned bellows from Trumpf CNC laser cutting machines for one of the main suppliers of re-conditioned CNC machines in the UK. In these economically difficult times cleaning rather than replacement of key parts can be vital in maintaining sales and profit margins without compromising performance, quality or appearance. Sonics customer is delighted to be installing effectively new parts to the re-conditioned machine, at a fraction of the cost!!!

ONSITE DE-SCALING

Whilst Sonic Solutions normally cleans items on its own premises using ultrasonics we adapt to our customers’ requirements. A major polythene manufacturer has a problem with scale deposits in water cooling jackets. Sonic Solutions devised a system of cleaning the jackets in situ using its speciality descaling product, Scruffite, without halting operations. Flow rates increased over threefold following cleaning and Sonic Solutions has provided a cleaning programme to maintain production efficiencies for the last 18 months.

FILTERS AND NOZZLES

The small size of apertures to clean and the generally delicate and precise nature of the item concerned means abrasive techniques are not appropriate. Filters and nozzles are used in so many industries that they have provided a significant part of Sonic Solutions’ business for many years. However they continue to provide challenges because of their immense variety. Traditional paint manufacturers and printers usually have small items to clean of inks or paint. However more unusual filters have included tube filters off CNC machines contaminated with oil and fine swarf, a 1.5 metre flame arrestor clogged with burnt oils and greases, and even an underwater oil company filter basket encrusted with scale, seaweed and molluscs!

SPECIALIST CHEMICALS

Sonic Solutions has developed many specialist cleaning chemicals over the years. The first were for the print industry for the removal of all types of inks. However the need for effective yet safe and environmentally friendly cleaning chemicals has increased the demand for our services in this area. One speciality chemical we have supplied for many years was designed for a pharmaceutical company to dissolve soda lime deposits without being harmful to humans so it reacts only with inorganic material and is perfectly harmless to humans. Likewise we have aluminium friendly caustic cleaning agents, one of the the most effective yet safe descalers on the market, and our most recent innovation, a cleaning solution that both descales and degreases, developed especially for the marine market to clean boat heat exchangers and coolers.