Degreasing

What is degreasing?

Degreasing is the removal of contaminants that consist of oils, greases and loose dirt. Degreasing is necessary to clean contaminated machine parts and is also necessary to ensure good adhesion of paints, adhesive joints or sealants.

Degreasing is applied in almost every sector including:

Automotive
Transport;
Construction
Chemistry
Catering
Engineering

When is oil, grease and loose dirt a problem?

Insufficient lubrication in industrial applications where lubrication is desired can cause wear, friction and additional maintenance. Bacterial growth in areas that are difficult to reach can also cause unwanted problems. Oil and grease accumulation are unhygienic and can cause odor nuisance and fire hazards. Oil and grease layers caused by, for example, soap residues or atmospheric pollution ensure that new paint and/or adhesive layers do not adhere. Loose dirt can cause adhesion problems in the follow-up process.

Aesthetics

Oils, greases and loose dirt give the workplace and machines an unkempt appearance. Research shows that employees are more active when they can work in a clean and safe environment.

Economy

It is not only unpleasant to have to deal with dirty parts, but also inconvenient. The inspection of clean parts yields better results: all defects and problems are visible on a clean product. Good lubrication reduces wear and tear, work stoppages and tool maintenance. The prevention of oil and grease pollution is cost-saving and preserves materials.

Degrease with benzine and volatile solvents such as thinner

Benzine and thinner are solvents that are very harmful to the environment. They easily catches fire and working with petrol based products can cause various health problems. These products are harmful during prolonged contact and inhalation. During and after use it is recommended to ventilate well and pay close attention to fire hazards.

Oil and grease removal

In the automotive and metal sector heavy contaminants such as oil and grease, are regularly present. A cleaning method that can be used is ultrasonic cleaning. Ultrasonic sound waves in combination with a cleaning product produce small vacuum bubbles (cavitation) in a liquid. When they implode, energy is released that removes the dirt from submerged pieces. As a result, even the smallest spots are cleaned. Ultrasonic cleaning is a form of automatic cleaning and therefore also an attractive cleaning method.

Degreasing stainless steel

Stainless steel is a durable material and is used for a wide range of household and industrial applications. The chrome layer on the material ensures that it is resistant to rust and scale. The amount of chromium also determines the strength of the stainless steel. Stainless steel 304 contains less chromium than stainless steel 316. Stainless steel 304 we encounter the most and with good maintenance this layer can offer many years of protection. The protective layer can weaken and be damaged by dirt and other contaminants. It is therefore important to regularly clean stainless steel - especially stainless steel 304 - with safe cleaning agents. Watch out with acid cleaners; these can affect stainless steel material.

Degreasing tray

Degreasing can be done manually or in a degreasing tray. Also called degreaser tray, sink or parts cleaner. There are even fully automatic systems available that run a washing program via a preset temperature and time switch to break down the oils and greases.