Cleaning in the automotive industry

Owing to increasing levels of specialisation, many companies are involved in some way in the automotive industry: from the upstream companies for parts production or manufacturers where assembly takes place right through to the logistics companies that take care of delivery to the customer. In all these areas, cleaning does not in and of itself earn money – yet it is necessary to increase work safety, product quality and efficiency. Having cleaning solutions integrated within the production process alongside the use of powerful sweepers and scrubber dryers ensures the required work is completed quickly and thoroughly.

In-process cleaning in parts production

Whether electronic, metal or plastic components, vehicles consist of many different parts that are produced either by suppliers or in the manufacturers' own plants. The demands placed on parts quality are high, as these parts have to fit into the vehicle's overall system and fulfil certain specifications in terms of continuous load and accuracy. Parallel to this, cost pressures are constantly growing, meaning efficiency plays a major role and the output of faultless parts should be as high as possible. Against this backdrop, in-process cleaning can make a valuable contribution to achieving the required result: in the production of gear parts, for example, extraction systems in the press shop can effectively increase precision by removing the residues created from punching metal blanks. Residues can also be removed from injection moulding tools easily and gently using dry ice blasters to ensure they are quickly ready for use again.

Everything in sync for assembly

During final assembly, the focus is firmly on smooth processes, cycle times and work safety in order to achieve the required levels of throughput and quality. For instance, care must be taken to ensure dust does not get inside components, as this can result in noise during operation. It is therefore vital that the floors are kept clean, since dirt can be spread everywhere from there. Floor cleaning also ensures that there is no risk of accidents or slipping for employees or for the autonomous forklift trucks that keep materials moving. Appropriately sized sweepers and scrubber dryers fitted with the right equipment are therefore essential for keeping walkways and other floor surfaces clean.

Cleanliness does not stop at the factory gate

Customers are only satisfied when the vehicle – whether a car, agricultural machine or truck – reaches them in perfect condition. Film wraps are often applied to protect sensitive surfaces during transportation then removed again by a service provider, after which it is advisable to wash the vehicle with a high-pressure cleaner. In the case of large vehicles, they are transported in single parts and assembled on site, after which it may be necessary to clean inside the cab with a dry vacuum cleaner and microfibre cloth. Final cleaning of the vehicle is carried out using high pressure and suitable detergents.