With the phase-out of chlorinated solvents for parts cleaning by manufacturers and cleaning equipment OEM’s, the cleaning process has evolved to mostly aqueous and semi-aqueous cleaning methods. With most parts being cleaned by water, parts drying has evolved enough to ensure 90% to 100% product dryness.
Several different factors need to be consdiered for the configuration of your drying system, including the size of the drying chamber/zone and the relationship to the rest of the adjacent cleaning and manufacturing processes. It is important to make sure that the drying process doesn’t negatively affect the cleaning process and vice-versa. Sonic has a very large installed customer base and the resulting experience coupled with their air knife lab (for testing difficult-to-dry products) equates to a system guaranteed to work. Sonic Air Systems Inc. offers a process/performance guarantee that their system will meet or exceed the design level of performance. Throughout every industry production rates have increased in all areas together with more stringent product quality objectives, material and process cost reductions, shorter lead-times and minimizing inventory levels. Now PLC’s monitor these factors on most production lines and mositure left on the product often contributes to quality and throughput issues. Sometimes compressed air is a viable option for small areas or when just blow-off is required. If the target area is relatively large, compressed air capacity is limited or continuous operation is required, then a Sonic Air Knife Drying System will likely be more effiecient and cost effective.
