Cleaning Gas Cylinders with Automated Passivation System
Background
This company is the world’s largest manufacturer of aluminum high-pressure gas cylinders. Their products allow for the safe storage of specialty, high purity, and unstable gases used in a range of industries including SCBA, SCUBA, performance racing, medical, transportation, alternative fuel, beverage, life support, and more. Thus, efficiently cleaning gas cylinders is critical.
Parts Cleaning Challenge
Specifically, they needed a system for cleaning and passivating multiple gas cylinders in the final manufacturing process. In addition, they also required a system to integrate with their existing robotic work cell.
Solution/System
The solution was a return-to-operator system RTO-2000-PCS. This extraordinary machine cleans/passivates gas cylinders inside and out. Markedly, the system has six individual cleaning chambers, each with a vertical, powered door and automatic valves to control flows from 3 tanks and air blow-off. First, the parts are loaded and unloaded with a robot. Next, a top pneumatic device secures the part before the robot lets go. After which, another pneumatic device inserts a nozzle through the part orifice for cleaning. In each chamber, the parts undergo a 5-step process:
- wash with fluid “A”
- rinse
- wash with fluid “B”
- rinse
- dry
Additionally, other system features include stainless steel construction, custom fixturing, ID spray nozzle, automatic water level controls, a steam exhaust system, safety sensors, sump pump/sump tank, and NEMA-12 control station with PLC.
Please contact us to learn about more cleaning applications and systems like this!
