Cleaning of renewable parts-IRT article

Sela Pri Dolenjskih Toplicah 47

SI – 8350 Dolenjske Toplice

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e-mail: [email protected]

http://www.ferroECOblast.com

VAT ID: SI25061437

tel.: +386 (0)7 384 51 00

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skype name: ferrocrtalic

Cleaning of renewable products

International European project Cleaner (cleaning of renewable products) under the aegis of

the EraSME Network aims to explore and combine knowledge and technologies in the field of

industrial cleaning products renewal. As part of the design and use of technologies for

cleaning are a reputable German companies BU-Drive Herrmanns, Mela, MD Rebuilt,

Klubert + Schmidt and Slovenian company FerroČrtalič which have decided to bridge link

with the German Fraunhofer Institute, University of Bayreuth and LAKOS Laboratory at the

University of Ljubljana. Peter Butala

1, Mladen Cvjetičanin

1, Rok Vrabič

1, Bojan Črtalič

2

1 University of Ljubljana, Faculty of mechanical engineering, LAKOS

2 FerroČrtalič d.o.o., Sela pri Dolenjskih Toplicah 47, 8350 Dolenjske Toplice

Industrial product renewal is becoming in the context of sustainable development one of

the key industries. On the extent of turnover it is comparable to the steel industry.

Restoration of products starts with the elimination of the product from use. The reason for

the exclusion is whether the complaint or the end of product’s life cycle. Since

the renewed products provides the same warranty as new, need to ensure high-

quality reconstruction is high.

Renovation of the product usually takes place in several stages, as shown in Image 1. In the

first stage the dismantling of renewable products is carried out (for example the whole

product (car …) or subassembly (engine), components are disassembled, cleaned,

inspected and sorted. The diagnostic phase determines whether the components are suitable

for further use, while some parts become scrap. Other components and parts that do not

meet standards are renewed. In a further stage the assembly of refurbished products,

consisting of used, refurbished and/or new components is carried out. Such a product can be

used as the original product or as a product with a new identity.

Industrial recovery of products is environmentally friendly because it saves on energy,

maintains the raw material, reduces the air pollution and preserves the land from the disposal

of waste material. Only in the reconstruction of automotive engine it saves 50% energy

and 67% of work it takes to produce a new engine. In addition to the impact of environmental

protection and economic development, the industrial recovery contributes well to the

social sustainable development for example by creating new jobs.

Automobilwoche magazine estimated the volume of business in the reconstruction within the

automotive industry to approximately 600 billion € a year.

Picture 1: Five steps needed to ensure a high quality renewal.



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In spite of the rise and demand for this kind of segment in the industry and the reconstruction,

there is no necessary knowledge either in industry or in the institutions of knowledge. In

particular this is a problem with cleaning technologies, which are on very low level and have

a large potential for improvements and innovations. It was why we pursued CleanER project,

a project which proposes a systematic approach to problem solving treatment. The

objectives are: to develop (1) new methods and indicators for determining

the purity parameters, (2) validate the new waste treatment technologies, (3) define

the procedures for analyzing the purity and develop measuring equipment and (4) to

develop solutions for efficient material flow in the cleaning process. Based on the results of

relevant researches and development, an online knowledge base and decision support tool that

provides user-friendly and efficient access to knowledge and information

on cleaning processes will be developed. This tool will be during the duration of the project

available to project partners and will be presented to industrial users, especially small

and medium-sized enterprises which are increasingly entering the business field of

industrial renewal of products.

For the Cleaner project a consortium was created consisting of representatives from industry

and research institutions. It consists of the Fraunhofer Institute, University of Ljubljana

and a Bayreuth and four German companies: BU Drive, Herrmanns, Klubert + Schmidt,

MD Rebuilt, all from the field of the product regeneration, representing a broad spectrum

of industries. Also included is a German company Mela, which is a manufacturer of

equipment and has experience in cleaning. Important partner is also Slovenian company

FerroČrtalič, a producer of innovative equipment for cleaning with dry ice, soda, classical

blasting with the modern abrasives and which also manages other applications in the field

of processing technology surfaces.

In addition, a consortium is supported by the European Network EraSME, which links

industry of products renewal. In the project is also involved internationally recognized

professional journal ReMaTec. In January, the first meeting of Cleaner project was held,

where members of the working group set priorities, which guarantee a successful realization

of set goals. The project will be fully completed in 2013, but the first useful results can be

expected by the most impatient users in the form of verified solutions already by the end of

this year.

Picture 2: Members of the project team on Cleaner initial meeting in Bayreuth



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Which is particularly important is that the companies have already established a business

relationship. Thus, the company FerroČrtalič has developed and delivered robotic cell

for cleaning diesel engine housings to Köln located company BU-Drive. The cell operates as

an autonomous completed unit in the new line for the reconstruction of the engines.

The process technology used for cleaning is blasting with dry ice. The choice of

technology for a given application is based primarily on procedural skills to clean such

contamination, which is typical for used engines. The process of cleaning with dry ice can be

described by three stages of the process. In the first phase the grains (pellets) of dry ice are by

compressed air accelerated to the speed of sound and hit the surface. Due to the impact on the

surface the dirt is loosen and first cracks occur. The low temperature of dry ice in the second

stage causes the impurities to become brittle, fragile and because of different thermal

expansion, they are separated from the surface. Thus, the impurities are more sensitive on hits

of dry ice grains. Coverings of dirt crack, allowing dry ice to penetrate into the cracks. Dry

ice penetrates the cracks in impurities and instantly sublimates. This is reflected in

the approximately eight-hundred-fold increase in volume, which acts as small explosions,

which lift and remove impurities from the surface coverings.

The core cell consists of rotary table with clamping satellites and robotic arm with a

cleaning nozzle. Chamber, where the cleaning takes place has forced draft of fresh air in the

environment as the process of cleaning with dry ice develops high concentrations of carbon

dioxide. In the preparation of CO2 pellets two main components are used: a unit for

manufacture of dry ice (pelletizer) and a recycling unit. In the production of pellets

usually 50% of CO2 evaporates in the atmosphere, but with the introduction of recycling unit,

up to 98% of losses can be saved 98%. Device for cleaning and pellet manufacturing unit are

located outside the treatment chamber, because it enables easier control and adjustment of

process parameters during operation. As shown in the Picture 3, the rotary table has 12

clamping satellites, which allows purification of three engines, which are consisted of four

components.

Slika 3. Robotic cell for cleaning diesel engine housings .



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Given the nature of the renewal process requires that all engine components are cleaned

within. To provide the necessary traceability of components through the entire process of

renewing and because the assembled components are the same parts, which is essential to

ensure the quality reconditioned engine. With the introduction of robotic cleaning in the BU-

Drive company, cleaning of engine components, removing plaque and cleaning the

gaskets will be reduced to one fifth of the times that was needed with manual cleaning. It is

through the introduction of this treatment cell, the company will provide the basic

requirement for increasing the capacity of renewal of engine, which is of strategic importance

for the further development and strengthening the position of the European and

global industrial reconstruction engine provider.

Picture 4: Final parameter settings and testing on pieces of the customer.

In the context of global industrial development of products renewal the company

FerroČrtalič will present their achievements this year at the largest fair ReMaTec2011 in the

field of industrial products renewal, held in Amsterdam (19.-21.06.2011),

where Mr. Bojan Črtalič will have lecture on cleaning technologies through the

various phases of development in industrial reconstruction products.



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Picture 5: The CleanER project team meeting in Slovenia (from left: M. Haumann, S.

Sweinstig, A. Sluga, B. Črtalič, N. Matjaž, P. Butala).

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Cleaning of renewable parts-IRT article