Challenge
Previously, oily plastic trays were cleaned by hand, a slow, inconsistent, and costly process. The customer required an automotive parts washer designed to remove oil and particulates from lightweight plastic dunnage. The solution had to ensure uniform cleaning, high energy efficiency, and compatibility with their continuous flow manufacturing environment.
Approach
Better Engineering developed a custom tunnel washer system to wash reusable plastic dunnage. This fully automated industrial parts washer was designed to clean oil-contaminated reusable dunnage through a high-performance, three-stage tunnel process. The unit’s configuration was tailored to handle large volumes of plastic trays with repeatable, operator-safe functionality.
Key custom specifications included:
- 36” wide mesh belt conveyor
- Wash stage:
- (2) 10 HP stainless steel seal-less vertical pumps (120 GPM @ 50 PSI each)
- 100-micron inline filter housings
- Electric heat
- Rinse stage:
- 7.5 HP stainless steel pump
- Drip shields and 6’ conveyor extension for runoff control
- Blow-off dry stage:
- 15 HP regenerative blowers (1000 CFM each)
- adjustable air knives
- side-mounted air jets for targeted drying
- Automated chemical control:
- Dosatron dosing system with integrated conductivity sensor
- Water and energy management:
- Automatic water level controls
- Water makeup solenoid valve
- Tank heaters with over-temp shutdown and low-level protection
- All tanks are fully insulated
- Construction & controls:
- All wetted components made of 304 stainless steel
- Vertical access doors for all modules
- Enclosed steam exhaust with mist collector connection
- Allen-Bradley PLC with touchscreen HMI
- Ethernet IP connectivity for system integration
- Safety & ease of use:
- Emergency stop at load and unload stations
- Lockable disconnect switch
- Forklift channels for portability
Results
The custom-engineered tunnel washer delivered measurable improvements across productivity, safety, and cost efficiency. By automating the cleaning of oil-contaminated dunnage, the system ensures consistent performance at scale while integrating seamlessly into continuous production workflows. Key results include:
- High-volume dunnage cleaning with consistent oil removal significantly reduces downtime and contamination risks.
- Elimination of manual labor, freeing up operator resources for higher-value tasks.
- Reliable throughput, with continuous belt operation and targeted drying zones.
- Enhanced workplace safety through sealed steam containment and minimal operator handling.
- Efficient utility use, with insulated tanks, automatic fill systems, and smart chemical dosing.
Conclusion
The manufacturer replaced a manual, inefficient process with a fully automated dunnage washer that integrates seamlessly into their production environment. The custom-engineered tunnel washer from Better Engineering delivered precision cleaning of oily trays at scale, cementing its value as a dependable industrial parts washer for high-volume automotive applications.
Interested in finding your solution? Contact us for more information, a facility tour, or free part testing.