When you think of the aerospace industry, you may not immediately think of plumbing. You might not have, but Eaton Aerospace did. Eaton is one of the premier manufacturers of tubing and tubing systems for most of today’s high-powered aircraft. Among their credits are the F-22 Raptor, the F-35 JSF and the Airbus 380. The aerospace industry has high demands for very specific products; it is the perfect place for an ultrasonic cleaner.
Odd Shaped Piping
Tubing is used in aircrafts to transport a variety of liquids. Hydraulic fluids, fuel, air, oil and water need to be moved around an aircraft to keep it operating. There are very specific dimensions that these pipes must be adhere to, and this means that Eaton has to use manufacturing techniques that will create the complex geometries that are required.
First, the tubing is made out of whatever material is requested by the manufacturer. This could be something as simple as stainless steel or could be a complicated compound. Once the part is made, it must be thoroughly cleaned before going through the bending process. Harsh cleaners and chemicals are used to remove dirt, debris and any leftover unwanted material.
Next, the tubing must be bent to the proper geometry. The part is bent over a mandrel and a lubricated tool is inserted inside to prevent the tubing from getting kinks during the bending process.
Cleaning Up Afterwards
The finished product is an oddly shaped tube that is full of harsh oil lubricants. In the past, Eaton used mineral spirits and Stoddard solvents to clean the tubing by hand. Because both of these substances are tightly controlled, they needed an expensive disposal process to get rid of them. The cleaning process was time consuming as well. All that changed when they found Omegasonics.
Bud Greener, manufacturing engineer, decided that the company needed to invest in an ultrasonic cleaner or two. He was particularly interested in the Super Pro and Pro Plus models. They were affordable and the perfect size for his needs. After implementing the systems, Bud estimates that not only are the parts cleaner than when they were cleaned by hand, but they also save upwards of 20 hours per week in labor!
Another success for Omegasonics and the aerospace industry. Take a look at what we have to offer to see if Omegasonics can make a difference in your business!
