The idea behind aqueous cleaning systems is as old as cleaning itself. It’s the idea that with the right soap and the right amount of effort, you’ll be able to make something look as good as new. But those working with metal know that it takes more than elbow grease to clean off many of the materials that they are required to work with. That is where aqueous cleaning systems come in.
Simply put, aqueous cleaning is a means of washing and degreasing metals using hot water, mechanical pressure agitation, and water-based cleaning solutions. This cleaning solution is usually environmentally safe and poses no threat to those working in and around it, as opposed to other types of cleaning solvents. There are multiple ways that the cleaning solution can be used on the metal, and how aqueous cleaning systems work will change, depending on the method.
As the name suggests, immersion cleaning involves immersing either small or large parts in a tank of cleaning solution at high temperatures. The solution is then agitated and filtered through various means. One can think of immersion cleaning the way one would think of soaking dirty dishes in soapy water in order to loosen dirt and debris, but the addition of agitation and heat remove grime and grease from surfaces much more effectively.
As far as everyday cleaning equivalents go, in-line cleaning follows a model similar to car washes, but on a smaller scale. With in-line cleaning, many smaller parts or a few heavy-duty parts are placed on a mesh belt, monorail, or roller table and passed through a wash chamber. In this chamber, pressurized jets of cleaning solution are used on the metal to blast away the dirt. After going through a “blow-off” chamber, the parts are clean and ready for further processing.
Agitation cleaning is almost a combination of the previous cleaning methods and works similarly to a dishwasher or washing machine. With this method, the metal is put in a tank or basket-like chamber. The metal is then agitated either by shaking or turning while being sprayed by high-pressure jets of cleaning solution. This method is good for large or small batches of little parts, depending on the equipment being used.
Aqueous cleaning systems work incredibly well for a wide variety of metal-cleaning tasks. Whether you need to clean hundreds of small pieces of metal tubing or an entire metal forklift, Viking Blast and Wash Systems has the perfect heavy-duty parts washer for your job.