Erema Maintenance – 5 Tips to Keep Your Hot Melt Filter Disks in Better Shape & Lasting Longer

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Erema Maintenance – 5 Tips to Keep Your Hot Melt Filter Disks in Better Shape & Lasting Longer

Erema are probably the most popular brand in the UK of machinery to make pellets from recycled plastics. Their system of continuous hot melt filtration allows for high productivity of an extremely pure product.

The laser cut discs through which recycled product is melted and passed through prior to pelletisation are key to the entire process. If they get blocked (or blinded) then pressure builds up and throughput drops. Worse, if the pressure causes the disc to burst then impurities enter the finished product. Proper maintenance of these discs is therefore critical. In addition to production issues from blinded or burst discs the cost of replacements is eye watering, so proper maintenance of Erema filter discs is a problem facing all managers of Erema extrusion lines. Yet the traditional cleaning method of burn-off of residual plastic only partially clears the filter. Here at Sonic Solutions we specialise in the cleaning of Erema laser filter screens. We have worked with some of the UK’s leading plastics recyclers over the last 3 years and developed a cleaning process that has seen replacement costs cut in half, throughput increased by over 10% and downtime significantly reduced for nearly all our customers. We are the first to acknowledge the contribution of our customers in the development of this process. We have also learnt the following top tips from our Erema using customers in the maintenance of these discs to reduce wear and tear and keep them running better and longer. We thought it might be helpful to managers of Erema hot melt extrusion lines to share these tips on how to maintain and clean their filter discs.

1: Scheduled Downtime

If you wait for your machine pressures to skyrocket between laser filter screen changes then you risk the screen bursting requiring costly replacement as well as impurities entering your finished product. Changing the screens at frequent and specific predetermined times brings many benefits, including a longer life for your screen and a reduction in unplanned downtime, one of the costliest, most stressful and embarrassing occurrences in any production line. The cost of more frequent cleaning is a fraction of the cost of unplanned and frequent downtime and resultant replacement costs.

2: Blade Change

Metal particulate can get trapped in the screen and dragged around and around the filter by a blade too blunt to cut through it, causing the deep scoring damage. Yet blades are inexpensive compared to the replacement cost of a screen. A regular customer of ours changes their blades every week in a scheduled downtime (they also change and clean their screens at this point). They report that some screens have lasted 8-9 cycles of burn off/ultrasonics as a consequence of this weekly changing of blades alone.

3: Screen Explosion

When re-using damaged or scored screen you should reduce the operating pressures and monitor carefully. You shouldn’t have to clean your filter core regularly since the material entering it should not be contaminated but on occasions when the screens burst, contaminated material will enter and block the core. It is then good practice to burn off and clean your core and pelletizing head as large pieces of wood or metal can enter the wedge in the holes, reducing throughput and cause another blockage. Usually a straightforward burn-off and jet wash will be adequate since there are no small holes to clean.

4: Burn off temperatures and times

For the best results when burning off your laser screens we have found that a temperature between 400-450 degrees centigrade works best. The oven should be slowly raised to this temperature and held there for around 3-4 hours. The oven should then be allowed to cool down gradually and not opened until the temperature falls below 250 Centigrade. This prevents flare-ups of any remaining plastics and rapid cooling of metal with the potential for warping and distortion. Larger items like the core, screens and blades with higher quantities of waste material to burn off may require longer to completely degrade the waste plastic. It is also important to allow sufficient space between items whilst in the oven so the heat can circulate properly and allow the molten plastic to melt away from the parts. Failure to do so can lead to an incomplete burn-off of the plastic contaminant on the items in the middle.

5: Ultrasonic cleaning and surface passivation

Traditional cleaning methodology for the filter discs tends to stop at a quick jet wash after burn off. Whilst this is fine for the heavy items like the core, blades, pelletising head and screws, the laser screens with their ultra fine mesh require a more complex multi-process clean. After burn-off and jet wash they still contain trapped, burnt carbonised plastic in the fine mesh and, if not dried properly, also rust heavily again blinding the micron sized holes. Ultrasonic cleaning in acid solution for around 3 hours cleans the screens to a near 100% cleanliness level. Furthermore, after the acid clean surface passivation in an rust inhibiting alkaline solution followed by a thorough drying ensures they remain clean and rust free until use. It is a classic case of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. The whole process we employ to clean filter discs does take longer and cost more than the traditional method, but the benefits make the extra effort and cost well worth it. Laser filter screen lifetimes can be extended to double or triple compared to burning alone. Throughput can be increased by up to 20% because of reduced blinding. Extended times between blockages reduces downtime and bursts significantly. We know that the material type and quality going in has a lot to do with what goes on in the extruder, but a lot of that is out of your control. Maintenance of your hot melt filter line is something you can control. We hope the above tips are helpful.

If there’s anything you would like to ask us about the cleaning of your Erema discs and parts, we are more than happy to explore, advise and assist with whichever option works best for you and can offer hire or finance options. Contact our expert team today to discuss your requirements in more detail.

How to Dispose of Ultrasonic Cleaning Waste

When a business decides to take their ultrasonic cleaning in house, as well as knowing how to operate the machine, another thing they must consider is how they are going to dispose of their waste solution.

How you dispose of your solution will be dictated by whatever cleaning chemical you are using. It is always advised that you check with the chemical supplier on what the correct disposal method is for the specific product as there are many different types.

For example, the majority of chemicals we supply here at Sonic Solutions are biodegradable and not necessarily hazardous. As long as they are neutralised so the PH isn’t too high to either end they should be safe to put down a foul water drain.

HOWEVER…

Just because the cleaning chemical is not hazardous, it doesn’t mean your waste solution won’t be. A lot of times, the contaminants you are removing from your items can be classed as hazardous, and therefore should be disposed of by a licenced waste disposal company.

If you are having it disposed of by a waste collection company, you must make sure they are a licensed waste carrier and have the correct environmental permits.

Your company is still responsible for your waste even after it has left your site.

Just like with house clearances, there may be companies that offer a cheap waste collection service which may sound appealing, but if they then do not dispose of it correctly or even fly tip it, it is YOU that can be stuck with a hefty fine.

You must also consider how your waste is going to be stored on your site before it is disposed of. It should be stored in a secure location in a suitable container so there is no risk of it leaking/spilling. It should also be labeled clearly with what it is.

You should also keep a record of all the hazardous waste produced by your site which should be kept for 3 years.

At Sonic Solutions, we are experts in industrial parts cleaning and we are here to help! We are more than happy to explore, advise and assist with whichever option works best for you and can offer hire or finance options. Contact our expert team today to discuss your requirements in more detail.

“My Corona” Update ! Time for life to start again

Four months ago I, along with many others, informed my customers and suppliers of how we were going to operate during lockdown. It seems like a lifetime ago, but now it appears that it is time for life to start again. So I would like to spell out how we at Sonic solutions are going to operate for the foreseeable future.

We will be operating during our normal working hours. Indeed throughout lockdown we have operated our normal working hours but with a skeleton staff but from August onwards we are operating at full capacity again.
We are making visits, and we are accepting visitors. Of course we shall be taking all sensible precautions, with face masks, distancing and hand washing facilities available.
With the reduced activity levels during lockdown we have been able to produce a large bank of information in both blog and video format. They are designed to provide useful information and guides to cleaning your parts, showing what we do, how we do it, and the benefits to you. And they are freely available at the links below;
59 info blogs available at https://sonicsolutionsltd.com/knowledge-centre/
29 videos available at https://www.youtube.com/c/Sonicsolutionsltdultrasoniccleaning/videos?view_as=subscriber
Talk more with our customers and suppliers. About what they wanted and what they could offer. During this we have discovered many things about ourselves, some good and some not so good! We aim to build on the former and change the latter.

As a result, we are changing certain things about how we operate;

More conversations rather than e-mails;
More video footage to communicate (a picture tells a thousand words);
Increasing regularity and frequency of visits to potential and actual customers to deepen our understanding of their requirements;
Higher service levels where we can add value.
More flexible working hours, style and location to mirror our customers’ needs

If there is anything we’ve missed here let us know and we will do something about it!

We have survived Corona, now we’ve got to bounce forward from it! If we can help anyone on their journey out of Corona please let us know.

Sincerely,
Andrew Taylor – Managing Director

What is the burning issue? Sonic Solutions diversify and here is what we’re doing…

It has been an interesting couple of months at Sonic, and indeed for most of the world! Apart from surviving Covid-19 (so far !!) we are proud to announce that we now offer a pyrolysis/Burn-off/thermal stripping service, which will allow us to serve you EVEN better. More on this subject later. For those who don’t know what pyrolysis is I will try to explain what it is, and more importantly what benefits it gives you.

What actually is Pyrolysis? 🤔

Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of materials at temperatures between 310 and 540 C (depending on the contaminant to be removed) in an inert, oxygen-deprived atmosphere. Undergoing this process organic substances like paints and plastics are decomposed to produce volatile organic compounds, hydrocarbons and a solid inert ash residue. These volatile products and hydrocarbons are then reduced to inert gases and vapour through exposure to temperatures of 700 to 900 C in an “afterburner” normally placed on top of the pyrolysis oven. The solid ash residue is normally either left on the floor of the oven or lies on the surface of the item and can be easily removed through jet washing or ultrasonic cleaning.

What benefits does burning give? ✅

Where heavier metals need to have coatings of paints, polymers or plastics removed it is a far quicker, safer, cheaper and more effective way of bringing them back to bare metal than the alternatives of chemical and abrasive treatments. The controlled rise, holding and then reduction in temperature over an extended period in the absence of oxygen reduces the risks of combustion and the stresses on the metal due to rapid expansion and contraction. This means the coating is completely removed WITHOUT DAMAGING the item itself.

What can burning actually clean? 🔥

Pyrolysis is typically used to clean products or production components like extruders, spinnerets, static mixers, pipes, valves, even rejected parts that need re-coating, that are coated in paints, polymers or plastics such that they cannot perform their function.

So…what next?

We will be releasing more information over the coming weeks regarding our new service, helping us serve you better for years to come. Sonic Solutions are the UK’s leading ultrasonic cleaning service and following our extension of cleaning services to include jet washing and vapour blasting we are now offering thermal cleaning 👍.

For any queries or questions regarding pyrolysis please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 01924 495 975 or e-mail Andrew on andrew@sonicsolutionsltd.com

How to Perform a Foil Test in an Ultrasonic Cleaning Bath

When a customer asks us how they can check the performance of their ultrasonic tank, the easiest way to do it is through a foil test.

It is really easy to do and all you need is a piece of aluminium kitchen foil and your ultrasonic tank!

Firstly you want to fill your tank with clean mains water with no chemical in. A lot of ultrasonic chemicals will react with aluminium, especially thin foil.

Next you want to take a small square of aluminium foil, 10㎠ should do it.

Then, using gloves, you need to hold the foil under the solution for 30 seconds. While doing this, try to keep the foil straight and avoid it curling in on itself as this will not give the required results.

Next you want to hold the foil up to a light and see the results.

Good result

If the ultrasonic bath is working effectively then what you should see is an even covering of pinprick holes throughout the foil. The holes should be relatively uniform in size and be evenly distributed.

Bad result

If the ultrasonics are not working correctly you may see little or no holes on the foil. This would indicate that some or all of the transducers are no longer working.

Patchy holes

Another result you may see is large holes on some parts of the foil and little to no holes on other parts. This is caused by there being an ineffective or missing sweep frequency. This results in “Hotspots” of ultrasonic activity which can seriously damage your parts if not fixed.

Repeat

For the best results, repeat this test in different parts of the tank to make sure there is consistency throughout. The larger the tank, the more tests should be carried out.

For a free trial clean, a no-obligation discussion, or even a visit when the current situation permits, just call us on 01924 495 975 or e-mail Toby on toby@sonicsolutionsltd.com

Our Covid-19 response – The Measures We’re Taking to Support You

Hi,

It’s Andrew here, I wanted to take the opportunity to personally let you know what Sonic Solutions are doing in response to the current Covid-19 crisis that’s affecting us all. I want to outline the specific measures we’re taking to stay safe whilst continuing to support our customers through these challenging times. Below is a list of the specific safety, operational, financial and communication measures that we’re putting in place to ensure that we can support the country’s efforts during this pandemic responsibly and effectively.

Safety Measures

Clean Down Procedures – we have thorough cleaning procedures in place to ensure that hands are washed and any surfaces or objects with which contact is made are cleaned before and after use.
Social Distancing & Limited Contact – we are observing the recommended social distancing ensuring that staff remain a minimum of 2m apart from one another whilst on site.
Skeleton Staff – we are using as few staff as possible to continue normal operations, this ensures minimal contact. They are also on alternating shifts.
Personal Protective Gear – we’re using disposable nitrile gloves to handle all goods.

Operational Measures

Normal Working Hours – we continue to operate normal hours which are Monday to Thursday 8am to 5pm | Friday 8am to 1pm.
Emergency Work Accepted – if you require critical emergency ultrasonic cleaning to ensure the continuation of your business, we will accept and prioritise this work accordingly.
Prioritisation for Key Industries – we will prioritise work for customers that are from key industries that include Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Power Generation, Energy, Oil & Gas, Food Production etc
Smaller Jobs – are still being accepted.
Restricted Availability for High Volume jobs – as our focus is on facilitating as many customers as possible we are restricting or potentially declining high volume work. Exceptions may be made for critical key industry customers.
Lead Times – naturally these may change and if they do we will communicate this with you at the point of ordering.
Stock – we have ample stocks of cleaning chemicals.

Financial Measures

Flexible & Extended Payment Terms – for those that truly need this (and we are relying on your honesty) we can extend payment terms for up to 6 months if the continuation of our service to you is critical to your business. As a small business ourselves, we are reliant on paying customers now and indeed in the future once this all passes so we will do what we can to support you.
If you are in a position to continue to pay as normal that will ensure that we can continue to operate effectively and support the key industries that rely on our work to keep services and production running.

Communication Measures

Transparency – whatever the communication channel, we will continue as we always have to communicate clearly and honestly with our customers. If there are any changes or disruptions to our lead time or service, we will pro-actively tell you. We are not burying our heads in the sand, it helps no-one.
No Visitors or Visits – we are no longer accepting visitors to our facility nor are we visiting any clients in person ourselves. Deliveries are still welcome and handled with social distancing in mind.
Virtual Sales Appointment – we can continue to discuss and look at your work or application remotely in real-time using Zoom. Please contact us to schedule a Zoom appointment.
E-mail – we continue to monitor emails 24 hours a day and will respond at the earliest opportunity (usually the same day if within working hours) hello@sonicsolutionsltd.com.
Phone Line – as has always been the case we continue to operate a manned phone line (01924 495 975) during office hours and in case of an emergency you can reach us on 07974 442 583. With skeleton staff we may not always be able to answer calls immediately but we do check our messages and return calls once able to do so.
Live Chat – we have a live chat facility on our website and as with phone calls we attend to these messages as soon as we can. If we’re unable to answer immediately, please leave your contact details and your message and we will get back to you.
Internal WhatsApp Group – where social distancing measures prevent or make one to one verbal communication difficult, all members of the Sonic Solutions team are communicating effectively using WhatsApp to discuss internal matters.

As we always do, we will continue to work hard to support your business both during and after this crisis. If we’ve missed something or you’re unclear on anything please do get in touch and we’ll be happy to answer any questions.

Sincerely,

Andrew Taylor – Managing Director

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Welcome to the Sonic Solutions Knowledge Centre

Welcome to the Sonic Solutions Knowledge Center. This is the Go-To resource for Industrial Ultrasonic & Parts Cleaning and is updated regularly. If we haven’t already written about a particular aspect of Industrial Ultrasonic Cleaning, Pyrolysis, Thermal Stripping, Media Blasting or Jet Washing that you’re interested in, then please submit your enquiry here and one of our Industrial Cleaning Experts will take a look.