Challenge
Aerospace engine components leave virtually no margin for residual manufacturing debris. Machining coolants, metal fines, and other process contaminants must be thoroughly removed before parts move downstream, and a conventional single-stage wash process may not provide the repeatability these applications demand. The customer needed a system engineered specifically for high-precision cleaning, with sufficient wash and rinse capacity to accommodate heavy parts and production loads, fine filtration to prevent particulate from being redeposited onto cleaned components, and a fully automated cycle that minimized process variability.
Beyond the cleanliness requirements, the systems also had to conform to the customer’s rigorous internal mechanical and electrical specifications. Meeting those standards required additional engineering coordination, documentation, and compliance review beyond a typical Ultima build.
Approach
Better Engineering engineered two Ultima F-4000-ULT cabinet parts washers, splitting the tank into independent high-volume wash and rinse stages, each with its own vertical seal-less pump, and each capable of heating to 160°F. A non-recirculating fresh-rinse stage was added to help meet the customer’s water-break-free cleanliness requirement while minimizing the risk of contaminant reintroduction during rinsing. , followed by a heated-dry stage that raises the air temperature to 250°F to fully dry parts before the door opens.
To meet the customer’s aerospace-grade cleanliness requirements, Better Engineering incorporated inline bag filtration to capture fine particulate matter and prevent contaminants from redepositing onto parts during the cleaning cycle. A steam exhaust system with mist collection was also integrated to control vapor and moisture within the wash chamber. For more targeted cleaning, an automatic ID manifold extends into the cylindrical components during the cycle, directing solution into internal surfaces and hard-to-reach areas that would otherwise be difficult to clean consistently.
Every element of the build, from the tank configuration to the electrical panel, was engineered and documented in accordance with the customer’s internal mechanical and electrical standards. Because the customer had already successfully vetted this platform worldwide over three decades, the new units were built as proven duplicates of previously delivered Ultima systems, giving the customer confidence that the design was field-validated rather than new and unproven.
Results
The completed turntable cabinet parts washers gave this longtime aerospace customer two more automated systems built to the exacting cleanliness standard their industry demands. By pairing independent high-volume wash and rinse tanks with a fresh rinse, fine filtration, and a heated regenerative dry stage, Better Engineering delivered a fully automated cycle that removes manufacturing residue from engine components without relying on manual rinsing or inspection.
Conclusion
Aerospace engine components leave no room for hidden manufacturing residue. By combining independent high-volume wash and rinse tanks, a non-recirculating fresh rinse, fine filtration, and a regenerative heated-dry stage within its Ultima F-4000-ULT platform, and by engineering each system to the customer’s own rigorous internal specifications, Better Engineering delivered two more field-proven systems built for consistent, repeatable cleanliness.
It’s another chapter in a longstanding aerospace manufacturing relationship built on proven performance, one system at a time.
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