#component cleaning

To remove oxides and other debris from the surface of another material, shot blasting is a mechanical cleaning technique. Shot Blasting of Components in India is a type of abrasive blasting included in the same family as sandblasting, despite being less frequently mentioned. Shot blasting and sandblasting are primarily distinguished by the use of spherical shot as an abrasive media and a centrifugal wheel for propulsion in shot blasting, and the virtually sole use of compressed air in sandblasting.

Enhancing safety, cost-effectiveness in high precision component cleaning

Hymatic Engineering Coy Ltd, part of Honeywell Aerospace, based in Redditch in the UK, specialises in the design, development and manufacture of cryogenic and fluid control systems, sub-systems, and precision engineered products for aerospace and defence applications.

A key part of Hymatic’s production process is the cleaning of manufactured component parts using solvent-based vapour degreasing. Up until April 2016, the company had used trichloroethylene (TCE) as the solvent, but the EU now classifies TCE as potentially carcinogenic and has banned its use in degreasers. As a result, Hymatic contacted Honeywell to investigate alternative and safer solvent options capable of providing equivalent cleaning performance.

The Needs

Hymatic needed an alternative solvent to TCE to meet exacting cleaning standards required for small electronic components destined for aerospace and defence applications.

The solvent needed to be easy to handle with low levels of waste

Hymatic required a solvent with minimal impact on the environment both in usage and in disposal

The solvent needed to present a low risk to operative health