New Waterjet Deburring/Cleaning/Rust Inhbiting System Saves Space and Capital


Canadian automotive part supplier realizes significant gains with Bertsche-designed multi-function system in its plant

With factory floor space at a premium and capital equipment funds scarce, Linamar, a Tier One Canadian automotive part supplier, turned to Bertsche Engineering recently for an all-in-one part deburring, final rinse and drying solution.

Typically, complex machined automotive parts with multiple intersecting holes require feature-specific part deburring to insure that parts are burr-free. After deburring, parts also need a final cleaning/washing to insure removal of microscopic particles that might adversely affect performance. They are then preserved with a rust or oxidation inhibitor and dried for shipment (transport) to be assembled. Usually, this involves separate pieces of equipment linked by conveyors or robots to transport parts to each machine.

To solve the problem of densely filled factory floor space, Bertsche Engineering developed a machine that handles all these processes in one machine, in one deburring cycle. The machine takes oil and chip contaminated parts, previously machined on CNC milling centers and mill/turn machines, then selectively deburrs critical features using high pressure water, blasting chips out of internal cavities, knocking off all feather-edge burrs and fan washing the outside of the part, using a CNC for full cycle control.

This process is accomplished by a series of rotating lance nozzles that probe small diameter internal holes in order to blast feather edge burrs clean at intersection points and wash chips out of dead-end passages. External features are then blasted with a series of direct nozzles that release up to 10,000 psi of water at the burr while tracing the part edges. The part is then washed with high-pressure rotating fan nozzles. Note: When required, additional mechanical wire and filament brush tooled deburring stations can be incorporated into the Bertsche system to mechanically remove burrs.

The same machine moves the deburred part to an agitated wash and rinse station, where the part is rinsed, cleaned and preserved with an aqueous rust inhibitor (providing up to 24-day protection) and is finally dried. The part is then ready for final assembly.

For more information on this application, please contact:

BERTSCHE ENGINEERING CORPORATION

711 Dartmouth Lane

Buffalo Grove IL 60089

Phone: (847) 537-8757

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