Tunnel washers are modular, configurable

A new range of tunnel washing systems built by Dürr Ecoclean, Filderstadt, has been introduced to the UK by Geo Kingsbury, Gosport, under its sole agency agreement with the German manufacturer. Called EcoBelt, the machines use either a belt or a chain conveyor to transport industrial components through the various cleaning and degreasing processes. Around 40 variants of modular construction allow systems to be configured to support anything from entry-level use to top-end production applications, and to be expanded at a later date by retrofitting additional units. There are four main sizes of system to suit workpiece dimensions and required throughput. Components may be loaded by hand or the machine can be easily integrated with a machine tool or production line for automatic feeding of components onto the belt. Various cleaning processes and conveyor speeds can be programmed using the Siemens control based on single or multiple washing, rinsing and hot air drying cycles. This allows production speed to be optimised according to how much oil, grease, swarf or dirt needs to be removed from the components. The individually assembled cleaning systems are available in a short lead-time of eight weeks from date of order and are said to be competitively priced, despite extensive use of stainless steel in their manufacture, especially for parts that are in contact with the cleaning media. Ready access to the inside assists servicing and minimises production downtime. Geo Kingsbury has also been appointed to sell an additional range of Dürr Ecoclean machines, namely the highly automated cells built at the company’s Monschau factory that suit large volume production applications such as are to be found in the automotive industry. One such system, called EcoCFlex, was demonstrated cleaning a BMW engine block during a recent Geo Kingsbury open house. The machine incorporated a 6-axis robot for component loading and injection flood wash.