Manufacturing Technology

Last year, Dr Ing Goessling Maschinenfabrik GmbH, a subsidiary of the JOEST group, delivered a Washing Centrifuge WZ550 machine to fastener company baier & michels, which enables the company to recover up to 95% of its oil.

Based near Frankfurt, Germany, with over 400 employees, baier & michels GmbH & Co KG is a specialist for the development and production of innovative fasteners, joining parts and C-part management for the automotive industry. 

On the new WZ550 machine, the patented process of de-oiling and cleaning mass production components enables the in-line cleaning machine to achieve an oil recovery of up to 95%. Three identical drums are mounted to a rotating frame, in which the process steps – de-oiling, washing, cleaning and drying – are performed in sequence. It is therefore not necessary to empty the drums in between steps. The lids, which vary from step to step are fixed.

The existing machine is charged by a hinged belt conveyor with an integrated scale, which is also part of the Dr Goessling product portfolio. The majority of the oil is separated in the first step by centrifuging the parts at up to 1,000rpm. The oil is collected and then either stored in containers or directly fed into a new process.

For an optimal result, the mostly de-oiled material is washed with warm suds of up to 80°C. This also acts as a corrosion prevention. Before the material enters the last step, it is centrifuged once again to remove the washing suds. In the last step, the material is rinsed to get rid of any remaining suds. It is then dried with hot air of up to 350°C. The drum is completely emptied into a container. After each step, the frame mounting the drums is rotated by 120° to move the parts to their next processing station. This is done fully automatically and the timing can be adjusted based on the amount of material.

The centrifuged suds and water are separated and processed for reuse in the processing station that is located next to the machine. The station also serves as an unobstructed provider of water and suds, as well as an oil separator. The oil contained in the water and suds is separated and stored in an additional container. Since most of the oil is already recovered during the first step, a carry-over of oil is prevented.

The Washing Centrifuge WZ550 has a maximum throughput of 1,000kg per hour when filled evenly and depending on the parts’ apparent weight. Small and large parts with various geometries and weights of up to 230g each can be cleaned. The very clean result and the minimal carry over of suds, water and oil enable the reusability of the oil and drastically reduce oil disposal fees when compared to other machines. The Washing Centrifuge also helps meet the increasingly strict demands of the environmental certification ISO 14001.