Automotive

Customer
Automotive Prototype Facility

Application
Hydro-formed tubes

Background
This European based company has manufacturing facilities throughout the world and is a tier-one automotive supplier. This company specializes in producing small quantities of prototype cars for testing purposes. At this plant, they needed to remove stamping compound from hydro-formed tubes that eventually become part of a car or truck frame.

Problem
These tubes (2”- 4”dia. 10”- 96” h) were being cleaned manually with rags. This process was slow and awkward. Floor space was critical. Both belt washers and agitation systems utilized too much floor space.

Solution
Better Engineering designed a turntable system with 100” work height so that the tubes could be fixtured vertically. The fixture consist of a center pole, branches that can be moved up and down, and chains that span between the branches. This orientation allowed the tubes to not only be washed, but drained and dried effectively.

Any parts lying down would collect water and not be dry after the wash cycle. What used to be a laborious task has been reduced to a 3 minute process.

System
F-5000 LX-P (100” IVC) with a custom fixture. The machine was fitted with the following options: Automatic steam exhaust, in-line filter for removal of small particles, and a 15 hp/200 GPM motor.

5/20/97