In manufacturing processes such as adhesive bonding, welding, sealing and coating, the cleanliness of the components directly affects the quality of the process and the correct functioning of the finished product. The effective removal of contaminants, whether in the form of particulates or films, is therefore essential for consistent, high-quality manufacturing results, and appropriate processes need to be put in place at every link in the production and supply chain.
The cleanliness specification will always be determined by the requirements of the subsequent processing stage. Furthermore, it is already clear that industrial parts and surface cleaning faces new and tougher challenges in the future, driven by global trends such as eMobility, autonomous vehicles, lightweight construction, miniaturization and Industry 4.0.
"Many of the firms exhibiting at the upcoming parts2clean will be focusing on these future challenges, as well as on the demands of today's manufacturing environment, such as increasing the energy efficiency of cleaning processes and utilizing resources more efficiently", says Olaf Daebler, Global Director of parts2clean at Deutsche Messe. The 16th Leading International Trade Fair for Industrial Parts and Surface Cleaning runs from 23 to 25 October 2018 at the Stuttgart Exhibition Center. "With six months still to go before the start of the show, we are happy to report that nearly all the market and technology leaders from the various display categories featured have already booked their space", says Daebler. "This means that visitors from many different sectors, such as the car and component supply industry, medical technology, mechanical engineering, the aerospace industry, precision engineering and micro-engineering, optics, electronics, semi-conductors and coating technology, will be able to find all the suppliers, products and services they need to effectively and affordably solve their particular cleaning challenges."
Meeting performance requirements reliably and efficiently
On the one hand, manufacturers now have to meet more exacting standards of particulate cleanliness, which have come about partly through the development of ever smaller and more complex components, as well as components for high-performance applications. And on the other hand, there is a growing focus on the need to remove film-type residues, staining and discoloration, as well as – in certain sectors of industry – biological and ionic contaminants. As a result of these new developments, wet chemical fine and ultra-fine cleaning processes will become more mainstream. The use of such processes generates increased demand for sophisticated instrumentation to monitor cleaning baths, check for cleanliness post-treatment, and continuously record and document process parameters. Also required are solutions for efficient water treatment and bath maintenance. Meanwhile, alternative cleaning processes such as CO2 snow blasting, laser cleaning and plasma cleaning will become increasingly relevant. These technologies permit selective dry cleaning of functional surfaces and designated areas of components prior to adhesive bonding, sealing, laser welding or assembly, as well as the cleaning of pre-assembled parts. Another advantage of these processes is that they lend themselves readily to being automated, such that they can be integrated into networked manufacturing environments. And with many more cleaning operations to be performed, a controlled manufacturing environment designed for cleanliness will play a key role in meeting the necessary requirements. For these and all other challenges in industrial cleaning technology, the exhibitors at the upcoming parts2clean will be presenting solutions.
Industry Forum and Guided Tours in English and German
"With the three-day Industry Forum, parts2clean offers visitors from Germany and around the world a valuable source of information about trends and innovations in cleaning technology", notes Daebler. The simultaneously translated presentations (German <-> English) will cover a wide range of topics and real-world applications in industrial parts and surface cleaning.
The Guided Tours will be offered on all three days of the show, in both English and German. Taking in selected exhibitor stands, the tours give visitors the opportunity to gather information on specific areas of interest in industrial parts and surface cleaning, for every link in the process chain. Participating exhibitors, for their part, have the opportunity to pitch their products and innovations to a highly receptive audience, thus resulting in additional leads and potential sales.