Finishing - July-August 2023
In this issue... ‘It’s a question that seems to be being asked more and more at the moment; Do we really care about the environment? The Government has been accused by a departing minister that we are abandoning our environmental pledges and it seems that we are turning our back on green energy and returning to fossil fuels. Is the right way to go and does industry need to do this to remain competitive? Even the most blinkered individual can see that the UK’s climate is changing, but have we got the tools to change, either legislatively or technologically? It will be interesting to see if this becomes more of a political issue in the coming months as a general election becomes ever closer.
In this issue...
‘It’s a question that seems to be being asked more and more at the moment; Do we really care about the environment? The Government has been accused by a departing minister that we are abandoning our environmental pledges and it seems that we are turning our back on green energy and returning to fossil fuels. Is the right way to go and does industry need to do this to remain competitive?
Even the most blinkered individual can see that the UK’s climate is changing, but have we got the tools to change, either legislatively or technologically? It will be interesting to see if this becomes more of a political issue in the coming months as a general election becomes ever closer.
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NEW<br />
CLEANING 43<br />
such solution is modified alcohol.<br />
SAFECHEM’s modified alcohol solvents –<br />
DOWCLENE 16-Series as well as DUALENE<br />
1601 S – are chlorine-free, bromine-free and<br />
fluorine-free. Produced synthetically, modified<br />
alcohols are remarkably stable in temperature<br />
and pH. With both non-polar and polar<br />
properties, they can effectively clean off nonpolar<br />
contaminants such as oils and greases,<br />
just as effectively as certain polar<br />
contaminations like cooling emulsions or solids<br />
such as particles and abrasives.<br />
Modified alcohols have a flashpoint and<br />
therefore must be applied in vacuum closed<br />
cleaning machines, or the so-called<br />
airtight/airless degreasers. Users currently<br />
operating open/semi-open equipment are<br />
likely to see the initial equipment expenditure<br />
as a hurdle. They might also be apprehensive<br />
about changing their cleaning process<br />
altogether.<br />
However, compared to the high<br />
consumption of fluorinated solvents (PFAS-free<br />
or not) and their running costs due to<br />
emissions and drag out losses, a closed<br />
cleaning machine can practically pay itself<br />
back due to the many cost savings it enables<br />
– in addition to increased process safety and<br />
minimized environmental impact.<br />
A closed vacuum cleaning machine can<br />
offer manifold advantages on cost, process<br />
stability and environmental protection:<br />
Cost efficiency<br />
• Solvents used in closed machines are<br />
much cheaper than fluorinated products<br />
• Solvent can be recycled and reused much<br />
more efficiently thanks to built-in vacuum<br />
distillation unit<br />
• Solvent lifespan can be further expanded<br />
by stabilizers, resulting in less consumption and<br />
fewer bath exchanges<br />
• Solvent in waste stream is minimized due<br />
to efficient recycling with vacuum distillation<br />
• Working chamber opens following vacuum<br />
drying – no solvent residues left on parts<br />
• The capability of modified alcohols to<br />
process both polar and non-polar<br />
contamination may reduce the need for<br />
additional cleaning processes<br />
Process security<br />
• Solvent condition can be regularly<br />
monitored on-site using simple test kits<br />
• Reliable good cleaning result<br />
• High solvent quality in rinsing step enables<br />
required level of cleanliness<br />
• Efficient vapor degreasing as last cleaning<br />
step thanks to high temperature difference<br />
between parts and vapor<br />
• Vacuum drying ensures that risk of solvent<br />
being trapped in blind holes/small crevices is<br />
minimized even when rotation isn’t used<br />
Environmental protection<br />
• Virtually no air emissions – a cost,<br />
environmental and safety benefit<br />
• Hermetically sealed construction means there<br />
is minimal risk of contaminating ground water<br />
• Operators have virtually no contact with the<br />
chemical<br />
• Safety containers such as the SAFE-TAINER<br />
system further ensures emission-free and spillfree<br />
transfer of solvent<br />
Adopt a long-term view when<br />
assessing the best technical<br />
option<br />
Changing your cleaning process from an<br />
open to a closed machine can take time and<br />
efforts. Technical consultation, testing and<br />
verification are particularly vital in the solution<br />
finding process.<br />
Users of fluorinated solvents which fall under<br />
the PFAS definition are now offered an<br />
opportunity to re-assess their current cleaning<br />
set-up and exploit alternative options which<br />
might bring even greater benefits in terms of<br />
cleaning performance, cost savings and<br />
sustainability standards in the long run.<br />
Direct replacement can be an option, but it<br />
must not be the only one. Companies are well<br />
advised to keep an open mind, explore and<br />
test until they settle on a technical solution that<br />
will not only serve them well today, but also in<br />
the years to come.<br />
Oven Temperature Logger<br />
Measures and records oven<br />
temperature profiles<br />
• 6 K-type thermocouple ports<br />
• High temperature stainless steel barrier box for<br />
long run times<br />
• Download, view, and analyze data using PosiSoft Desktop Software<br />
or export to .CSV<br />
Prices starting at:<br />
Oven Temperature<br />
Logger..........£1895<br />
Temperature<br />
Probes............£100<br />
Wide variety of spring clamp and<br />
magnetic temperature probes available<br />
Customizable PDF Reports<br />
16A Long Drive, Meadway, Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 2PN<br />
t: 01442 879494 • www.dftinstruments.co.uk • e: sales@dftinstruments.co.uk<br />
<strong>Finishing</strong> – <strong>July</strong>/<strong>August</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
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