ACP Systems’ JetCell-HP for Compact, Digitally Controlled Parts Cleaning

The company says the scalable quattroClean process is easily adapted to different component geometries. Photo Credit: Advanced Clean Production

Advanced Clean Production (ACP) Systems’ JetCell-HP is a cleaning cell featuring dry quattroClean snow-jet technology which has been specially designed for use in cleanrooms. The compact, digitally controlled solution is said to perform a variety of cleaning tasks automatically, either inline or as a stand-alone device.

This cleanroom-compatible dry cleaning cell uses climate-neutral carbon dioxide. It features a compact cell for flexible automated production and is made entirely of stainless steel with smooth, homogeneous surfaces without any external screws. According to the company, it can be easily integrated into a connected production line or operated as a stand-alone device.

Due to the flow-optimized design of the process chamber, detached impurities and sublimated carbon dioxide are removed quickly and effectively by the integrated extraction unit, the company says. This is said to effectively prevent cleaned parts from becoming recontaminated and dirt pockets from forming.

To ensure a consistently good cleaning results, the machine is fitted with a sensor system that comes standard and which continuously measures the density of the snow jet. The digitally controlled cleaning cell can be easily integrated into and controlled by higher level host computer systems via standardized interfaces. To ensure full documentation and traceability, all process parameters — such as CO2 supply, compressed air supply and jet time — are recorded automatically and transferred to the host computer.

The company says the key to the system’s cleaning results is the design of the wear-free, two-substance ring nozzle through which the liquid carbon dioxide is fed. The liquid expands on exiting to form fine snow crystals, which are then bundled by a separate jacket jet of compressed air and accelerated to supersonic speed. It is said the jet is easy to focus on a specific area. When impacting on the surface to be cleaned, four mechanisms (thermal, mechanical, solvent and sublimation) are said to ensure that particulate and filmic-chemical contamination are reliably removed.

The crystalline carbon dioxide sublimates completely during the cleaning process, the company says. Therefore, the surfaces/parts are dry and can be advanced immediately to the next production step. It is said the cleaning process is so gentle on materials that it can even be used to clean delicate and finely structured surfaces.