Tuesday, April 19

Online Registration is now open.  By registering for the PCx conference, you have access to any of the conference sessions listed below, as well as the PMTS technical sessions, the PMTS/PCx exhibit hall, and all of the attendee special events!  Click here to register today!

PCx Conference Sponsored by:

10:30 am - 5:00 pm-- PMTS/PCx Exhibit Hall is Open  

1:00pm - 4:00pm:  PCx Conference Sessions

1:00 – 1:50 pm

Alternative Cleaners: An Update from EPA's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program
Margaret Sheppard, US EPA 

An overview of alternative cleaners, this presentation will focus on solvents for vapor
degreasing and for use in aerosol form.  2010 PCx Conference favorite Margaret Sheppard will give an update on EPA's reviews of alternative cleaners under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program, including n-Propyl Bromide.

2:00 – 2:50 pm 

Cleaning High Volume Precision Metal Parts
Barbara Kanegsberg and Ed Kanegsberg, BFK Solutions LLC
 
If you want to fabricate precision metal parts productively, you have to clean them effectively. Attendees to this session will learn practical, strategic information about how metalworking fluids and fines stick to surfaces, as well as why, when, and how to clean. Process Cleaning magazine columnists Barbara and Ed Kanegsberg will present the steps needed for removal of new and upcoming metalworking fluids, and well as clarify when passivation or heat treatment provides sufficient cleaning and where more may be needed. Come away with understanding of all steps in the cleaning process, surface prep, setting up and managing process baths, and how to get the most out of impingement cleaning.
 
Development of New Products for Cleaning
Joan Bartelt, DuPont

Each year, new products must be developed to address the ongoing changes and challenges to the cleaning industry. Current challenges to our industry include the phase-out of HCFCs, the need to replace solvents that have toxicity concerns, and an ever-increasing focus on the environmental aspects of solvent cleaning. This presentation will discuss the development of new solvents in light of these current challenges.

3:00 – 3:50 pm

Ultrasonic Cavitations: Role in Passivation and Sterilization
Dr. Sami B. Awad

Although the role of ultrasonics and megasonics is well established in cleaning, in other areas, the technology still has a ways to go. Widely used in cleaning medical devices, automotive parts, aerospace components, weapons, optics, electronics and semiconductors, there has always been a question as to whether ultrasonics has any role at all in passivation of clean metal surfaces or in sterilization of clean medical devices. This presentation will discuss the assisting or hindering role of sound wave interactions on the process of metal passivation or sterilization of medical instruments. The important role of process design and chemistry will be discussed, as well as the selection of ultrasound frequency, power density and optimum equipment for cleaning, passivation and sterilization.

How CO2 Cleaning Transforms Manufacturing
David Jackson, Cleanlogix

Learn how CO2 can be a cost- and performance-effective replacement in a variety of cleaning applications by modifying a manufacturing processes in two ways: 1) Physically—shape, size, space, application and configuration and 2) Chemically—solvency, toxicity, wetness, and chemical process. For example, due to CO2’s inherent dry cleaning nature, it may be implemented in a variety of cleaning equipment and process configurations to meet the needs of most lean production layouts and product flow requirements, including direct integration into existing process equipment where the surface contamination is being generated.

4:00 – 5:00 pm:  Join us for Happy Hour on the PMTS and PCx show floor!

Wednesday, April 20

9:30 am- 5:00 pm -- PCx/PMTS Exhibit Hall is Open

8:00 am - 4:00 pm:  PCx Conference Sessions

8:00 – 8:50 am

Cleaning Prior to CVD/PVD Coating
Henry Ederle, Technotrade

This session will address methods for cleaning substrates prior to PVD/CVD coating in order to achieve maximum yield rates in industrial coating processes. Attendees will learn analytical methods for determining the cleanliness of substrates ready for PVD/CVD-coating, as well as the how substrate cleanliness correlates to the resulting quality of the PVD/CVD-coating. The chemical processes for de-coating of the most used PVD/CVD-coatings will also be presented.

New Cleaning Process at a Large Screw Machine Parts Manufacturer Improved Cleaning and Eliminated a Costly Corrosion Problem
Chuck Sexton, Kyzen Corp.

A Midwest manufacturer of brass screw machine parts faced a costly corrosion problem involving parts in finished goods inventory sitting in warehouse storage during the summer months. The corrosion problems were traced back to the parts cleaning process. The company experienced problems with two different cleaning chemistries—the first leaving an oily film on the parts, which dulled the appearance; the second cleaning the parts well but leaving them unprotected. This presentation will detail the technical development steps taken over a three-month period to develop and test a new cleaning process. This manufacturer has now run the new cleaning chemistry in all parts washers for two years, without corrosion, and without any competitive disadvantage related to part cleanliness and appearance.

9:00 – 9:50 am

Process Flow and Metals Cleaning
Barbara Kanegsberg and Ed Kanegsberg, BFK Solutions LLC
 
Cleaning is a value-added part of manufacturing—when you design and mesh the process correctly. Attendees to this presentation will learn about cleaning forces, selecting and sizing equipment, fixturing and automation. In addition, they will also come away understanding how to avoid problems with mixed product lines, how to avoid unnecessary cleaning, and how to invest in profitable critical cleaning processes.

Looking Forward: Chemical and Materials Information Management for Sustainable Engineering and Design
Wayne Ziegler, U.S. ARMY Research Lab

This presentation will outline the U.S. Army’s efforts toward effective management of the materials and process information critical to sustainable engineering and design. Analysis of the DoD’s current industrial process development and implementation cycle has indicated a lack of exchange of materials and process information throughout the lifecycle. The Army has since been looking into technology options to address this gap, including the NASA-developed Materials and Processes Technical Information System (MAPTIS). The Army’s pilot program, MSAT (Materials Selection and Analysis Tool), that will be incorporated into the MAPTIS system and is meant to demonstrate the capability of such a system to store, search, and retrieve non-classified chemical, process and material-related data generated from DoD laboratories and their customers, will also be explored.

10:00 – 10:50 am

A Training Case Study in Reproducibility and Reliability
Darren Williams, Sam Houston State University

This case study presentation outlines the development of a standard sample for training workers in the measurement of contact angle for cleanliness verification. It is very clear in the example when a worker is having accuracy or precision issues, making this analysis a valuable tool for identifying who needs retraining, or when a new process is unsuitable for replacing an existing process. A detailed tutorial will be given using the Minitab statistical software suite, but this analysis is available in several software packages.

Determining How Clean is Clean?
Dr. Wells Cunningham, MicroCare Corporation

This paper will present various analytical methods used to determine the cleanliness of parts after cleaning.  There are numerous methods to determine part cleanliness from elementary to quite sophisticated.  This paper will present some of those methods and where they are typically used during the design or manufacturing stage of the part.  A few case histories will be presented as well as the pros and cons of each analytical method.

11:00 – 11:50 am

Sustainable High Precision Cleaning Solutions with Chlorinated Solvents
Dr. Hans-Norbert Adams, SAFECHEM North America LLC

Chlorinated solvents have proven for many years to be the most efficient cleaning agents. Due to their product specific risk and partly non-responsible handling, regulations have become stricter. Companies are feeling the need to switch to alternatives, but this often jeopardizes the quality of cleaning results.

This paper will present information and solution statements on:

• State-of-the-art, high quality precision metal cleaning and degreasing
• Chlorinated solvents and other cleaning opportunities
• Application related advantages and preferences
• Regulatory framework and Responsible Care®
• Risk Management solutions

Understanding Consequences of California South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule 1144 and ASTM E 1868-10 on Cleaning Metal Parts
John Burke, Houghton International

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) passed a final revision to Rule 1144 on July 9, 2010. This rule sets limits for volatile organic compounds (VOC) for metalworking fluids (MWF), rust inhibitors and direct contact lubricants. The test method for determination of compliance for this rule is ASTM Method E 1968-10.  Although this rule is intended for the four county area of the SCAQMD, the rule had far reaching effects on importers of MWF, rust inhibitors and direct contact lubricants into the SCAQMD. The type of metalworking fluids, rust inhibitors and direct contact lubricant will change to meet the requirements of this new rule. As these fluids change, so will the ability to clean these fluids from metal surfaces. There will be other consequences of this new rule and test method that will likely affect end users of MWF outside the SCAQMD.

12:00 – 1:00 pm – LUNCH ON OWN

1:00 – 1:50 pm

Parts Cleaning Fundamentals
Suresh Patel, Chemetall U.S. Inc.

This presentation will focus on different cleaning technologies and issues specific to the parts cleaning/gross metal cleaning industry. It will provide a foundation of critical terminology used in the cleaning industry so that attendees can make intelligent decisions in the selection, design, installation, and upgrade of a cleaning system. The session will highlight pretreatment, contamination, types of cleaners, types of processes, rinsing and drying, and verification. Process automation, safety and preventative maintenance of equipment will also be covered.

Component Cleanliness Measurement
Eric Krause, Pall Industrial Manufacturing 

Measurement of residual particulate contamination on components is increasingly becoming a requirement for manufacturers. These measurements can predict future component reliability, provide conformance to customer cleanliness specifications and monitor performance of current component cleaning processes. Two ISO standards—ISO 16232 and ISO 18413—have been developed that standardize practices related to contaminant collection, analysis and data reporting for cleanliness evaluation of manufactured parts and components, specifically in the automotive, fluid power and aerospace markets. This presentation will review how self-contained units can be used for component contaminant extraction and measurement in accordance with these ISO procedures.

2:00 – 3:50 pm John Durkee (2-Hour Workshop – (4) 30 minute Presentations)

a.) Black Magic or Science: How Solvent Stabilizers Really Work
This presentation will cover the need for solvent stabilizers, and why their use can’t be avoided. Topics covered will include the chemistry of solvent decomposition and the corresponding chemistry of how stabilizers prevent that deterioration; how n-propyl bromide has different stabilization needs than chlorinated solvents; how to test for stabilizer deterioration, and what to do when that happens; the logic and economics of purchasing unstabilized solvents and adding a user-prepared stabilizer package; and what to do if the total level or stabilizer present in virgin or recycled solvent is too much or too little for a specific application.

b.) Cleaners From the Farm
For more than the past half-century, both solvent and aqueous cleaning products have been derived from petroleum. First there were pure hydrocarbons (mineral spirits), then there were chlorinated hydrocarbons, and later there were oxygenated oligomeric hydrocarbons used as detergents. Today, with petroleum prices pushing gasoline prices to exceed $4 / gallon, and a governmental mandate to support development of renewable resources, some have sought options consistent with that development. This 30 minute presentation is about what those options are, where they can be used, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and what their costs of use are. Three types of options have been derived from three food crops: corn (lactic acid-based), orange (terpene-based), and soybeans (long chain esters). The good news is they are inexpensive and they do come from renewable sources. The other news is that they clean with different processes.

c.) Low Impact Cleanliness Management
Does your firm test the cleanliness quality of the products / parts it treats with its cleaning system? A great many, perhaps most, don’t. They only investigate how and if the cleaning system is doing its job where there is some downstream problem which could be tied to failure of the cleaning system. One reason for this attitude is that cleanliness measurement systems aren’t trusted. Another reason is that they are believed to be expensive. This 30 minute presentation will show that cleanliness has been and can be measured with simple low-cost tools. Several approaches will be presented which are simple and won’t impact the budget of any firm. They include various types of visual inspection and simple measurements of contact angle. Commercial examples will be given. The flaws in the water break test will be discussed.

d.) Management of Cleaning Through Statistics
Statistics aren’t new, but they are boring to learn, hard to understand and communicate, and few use them to manage cleaning processes. All that is true. But, that doesn’t mean a powerful proven technology must be discarded simply because it is “nasty.” This 30 minute presentation will explain simply how statistics work, without using equations. And it will show several simple applications where persons who are bored with training in statistics can improve operations. Several “canned” spreadsheet functions do the calculations. The applications covered include: how and when to sample, why one takes more than one measurement in a period of operation, what the right standard is for measuring cleaning quality, and how to deal with the reports of customers about quality.

2:00 – 2:50 pm 

Hydraulic Fluids Removal from Composite Materials
El Sayed Arafat, NAVAIR and Dane Hanson, Chemist

Aircraft composite structures often become contaminated by various maintenance fluids during normal operation. Hydraulic fluid contamination can cause composite plasticization, delamination and disbonding from honeycomb core. Currently, removal of hydraulic fluid involves use of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and a heated drying cycle. The problem is that MIBK is not an effective cleaner—it’s used only because it doesn’t pose a significant threat to workers. Hexane, the solvent of choice for cleaning composite structures, is hazardous. So the objective of the study outlined in this presentation was to develop a cleaning solvent capable of removing hydraulic fluid from composite materials. Any new cleaner must be environmentally-advantaged, less hazardous, and, most importantly, effective in removing hydraulic fluid from the composite materials without affecting mechanical and the thermal properties. Learn about the new cleaners that, in preliminary results, have shown to be more efficient than the control materials.

3:00 – 3:50 pm

Robotic Cleaning for improved productivity, efficiency and cleanliness
Stephen Laski, KMT Robotic Solutions Inc.

Traditional technologies for machined metal part washing and deburring and investment cast part de-coring have large environmental footprints (for example, large volumes of heated, soapy fluids and toxic chemical baths), and are not fully controlled, repeatable processes that result in the consistent cleanliness level desired. As a result, they often cost too much to operate. These issues drive the need for a better way to implement cleaning processes. Attendees will learn about robotic solutions to automate cleaning, deburring and de-coring processes. In this multi-media presentation, KMT Robotic Solutions will overview the key considerations, features, functions and benefits of this new cleaning approach.

4:00 – 5:00 pm: Join us for Happy Hour on the PMTS and PCx show floor!