High-Pressure Water Deburring and Washing

When a product is proven to be effective in one application, it often makes sense to give some thought to how its strengths can be carried over and applied to other related operations. ABB Robotics, a leading supplier of industrial robots, has introduced two robotic high pressure water deburring (HPWD) and parts washing systems for general industrial applications. These systems apply the same technology that the company has been using for many years in the automotive industry. The FlexWasher W30 and W40 systems, which remove burrs without alternating the parent material and in the same process wash the part, are compact and modular versions of the proven FlexWasher W50 system. The technology is currently used by Ford and Toyota to clean and deburr machined power train and transmission parts.

These HPWD systems are designed to be environmentally friendly and cost-efficient, operating without heated water or cleaning chemicals. In addition to the significantly lower energy consumption and operating costs that result, FlexWashers feature a patented closed loop water filtration system that also reduces waste-handling costs.

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"It is generally assumed that cleaning chemicals are needed to thoroughly clean parts. In the automotive industry we have proven this is not true when using our robotic deburr and washer system,” said Jan Nielsson, global product manager – FlexWashers, ABB Robotics. “With our newer, smaller models, we are now ready to introduce our technology to the rest of the world, outside of automotive."

Parts of a complex geometry that are not able to be thoroughly cleaned by a standard fixed-nozzle system, are ideal for these systems. Typically parts are smaller than one cubic meter and have strict cleaning standards.

The system uses the agility of an integrated robot to move a HPWD tool around a fixed part, or the part around a fixed HPWD tool. In either case, high pressure water is able to reach most areas of both simple and complex parts from the optimum angle with a combination of accuracy and proximity. The result is a Six Sigma cleaning quality rating that can be achieved at a relatively low cost while still aiming to reduce defects and part rework.

"A recent study by an automotive customer comparing ABB FlexWasher technology with their existing ultrasonic, injection flood and traditional fixed nozzle washers showed overall cost savings in the 80- to 90-percent range,” said Nielsson. “Millipore tests also showed significant reduction in contaminants as the parts got 2 to 7 times cleaner than with traditional washer technology."

The FlexWasher W30 and W40 systems are designed to handle a wide range of general industrial applications. Engine manufacturers can use these units for products ranging from lawnmowers and ATVs to agriculture, aircraft and aerospace equipment. The systems can handle the removal of burrs and cleaning of coolant and cutting oil on machined parts as well as the exterior cleaning of transmission oil on assembled parts.

Sized to Fit

The three FlexWasher Systems are profiled for small, medium and large operations. FlexWasher W30 is intended for production environments with restricted floor space and where the process only requires a single HPWD nozzle configuration. It consists of an IRB 1600 robot with a single nozzle HPWD tool and optional dry cannons to dry the part with compressed air. 

FlexWasher W40 is a modular system designed for production with different part styles and geometries that require a configuration with different styles of HPWD nozzles. It consists of a main booth with vertical part entry and exit doors, an IRB 6640 Foundry Prime robot with gripper, and stationary HPWD nozzles. Optional pre-rinse chamber for rinsing highly contaminated parts and drying chamber can be attached to the front.

FlexWasher W50 is a fully equipped system with a built-in pre-rinse and drying chamber. It has the same features as FlexWasher W40 but without the modularity.

All of these systems use the Foundry Prime robots, which are specifically designed to work in harsh water deburring and parts washing environments, without the need for complex external protective covering against heat, water and contaminants. The robots can clean areas that are unreachable for other, less flexible equipment. If the robot holds the part, the part can also be manipulated to improve water drainage.