PT Online

A new approach to tool cleaning freezes and then heats and vibrates dies, tips, and other metal tooling parts in a chamber until baked-on plastic can be brushed off. The patented process developed by Genca Corp., Clearwater, Fla., reportedly eliminates tool damage caused by other cleaning methods, such as blow torches and scraping, and eliminates environmental hazards and effluents. The plastic, once removed, can even be reused.

   Genca's new CVC (cryogenic vibrational cleaning) unit is a stainless-steel holding tank with 44 cu in. of treating capacity. It cleans by thermally cycling a part--cooling it with liquid nitrogen, followed by gradual warming and vibration. The cooling cycle also improves surface hardness of tools, Genca says. In the third quarter, Genca hopes to introduce a larger