Special purpose washer for engine component

Special purpose washer for engine component

Keywords CAE Cleaning Technologies, Washers

A special purpose crankshaft washer capable of meeting the most stringent engine building cleanliness standards has been supplied by CAE Cleaning Technologies plc(formerly Tempest & Dibb Ltd) as part of a major contract to equip Albion Automotive's Leyland production plant (Plate 5).

 Plate 5 The purpose-designed washing equipment supplied by CAE Cleaning Technologies is integrated within a new crankshaft manufacturing line at Albion Automotive's Leyland production plant

The custom-designed equipment ­ supplied along with a tunnel washer for removing process oil from components prior to grinding operations ­ forms the final washing station on a brand new automated manufacturing line producing crankshafts for latest generation UK vehicles.

According to Albion Automotive: "The performance of the finishing unit is critical. Components are simply transferred from the machine into protective packaging and transported directly to our customer's line for assembly."

In operation, finished machined crankshafts are loaded manually on to four purpose-designed fixtures within the machine's cleaning cabinet. The components are supported on their main bearing diameters by "Nylotron" faced cradles that form part of the equipment's cleaning circuit.

During the 12-minute automatic cycle, hot detergent solution is forced into these cradles and subsequently through the crankshafts' cross-drilled oil galleries to discharge at their big end bearing faces. Additionally, a series of spray jets washes all external surfaces, while further longitudinal jets flush out any cast iron deposits from the blind tapped holes at each end of the parts.

Finally, compressed air at 5 bar is directed through the manifold fixture's jet pipes to remove residual cleaning solution from the components and so complete the cycle.

For further details contact CAE Cleaning Technologies plc. Tel: +44 (0) 1274 729341.