About Parts Washers
An Authoritative List of the Best Parts Washer Manufacturers Available
Parts washers are manual, semi-automatic or fully automatic industrial washers. The most common cleaning systems used are aqueous parts washers. These washers include: rotary washers, spray washers, agitating washers or ultrasonic washers. Each of the varieties has its own method for parts cleaning. The design of the parts cleaning equipment may be for large individual loads, small parts or a mixture of both. Depending on the item being cleaned a certain style of parts washer must be utilized. Common industries that use parts washers are the automotive industry, electronics, medical and tool manufacturers.
The components that make up a parts washer are, a cabinet, water heater, brushes, pumps, nozzles and a filtration system. The cabinet sometimes called an enclosure or housing is most often made of stainless steel, although some cabinets have plastic or glass integrated into the design. The water heater may be powered by electric, gas or steam. The pumps increase the power of the sprayers, coupled with the help of brushes and other scrubbers to dislocate contaminates from parts. The filtration system helps to collect debris and waste material that is a byproduct of the cleaning process. Some parts washers are fully automated, while others need to be manually loaded and controlled for the correct settings. Parts can be loaded into a track, rack, basket system by hand, a robotic arm, conveyor belt or rotary table. The majority of washers are aqueous in nature, meaning they use primarily water or water based chemicals and solvents to break down unwanted dirt and grime.
One of the most common parts washers is the spray washer. Parts are loaded onto a conveyor belt then moved through an enclosed space to be spray washed. Other tactics of aqueous cleaners are ultrasonic or agitating machines, which are both immersion cleaners. The parts are then blasted with air or solvents for a clean finish. The final type of washer is a rotary washer. Rotary washers are not spray or immersion washers. They are put into a drum with a spiral conveyer, tumbling parts until they are clean and are then dried. The purpose of a drum dryer is to clean the outside and inside of the parts that enter it. Each washer has an intended purpose and method. Parts washer companies are constantly researching better more efficient ways to clean parts and be a more sustainable process.