EcoCvelox - Combined deburring and cleaning of workpieces

EcoCvelox – An innovative combination of high pressure water jet deburring and low pressure processes for parts cleaning . Deburr, clean and dry parts with safe processes and a 15 second cycle.

Ecoclean has developed the EcoCvelox in response to increasing demands for the absence of burrs and particulate cleanliness at controlled costs. The modular design allows for custom and scalable installations to configure a single system combining high pressure deburring, cleaning and drying. Thanks to this, the cycle time is only 15 seconds per pallet. A CAD / CAM interface for easy and fast offline programming of high-pressure deburring and a highly dynamic transport system for workpiece handling are just some of the many features that characterize the EcoCvelox.

Hydraulic and pneumatic system components, crankcases, pumps and valve boxes, injectors, clutch parts, steering and braking elements and many other mechatronic components are just a few examples of parts for which the requirements are ever higher in terms of burr-freeness and technical cleanliness. Until now, to meet these two requirements simultaneously, installations from different manufacturers were often necessary. By developing its innovative concept for the EcoCvelox installation, Ecoclean GmbH offers a modular solution combining 5-axis high-pressure deburring with various parts cleaning and drying processes for efficiency and space saving. This innovation not only sets new standards in terms of flexibility but also in terms of cycle time / process time ratio, equipment, intuitive operation, easy maintenance and plant availability.

Adapt as needed with maximum flexibility

The modular construction allows users to individually configure installations by combining high-pressure deburring and parts cleaning and drying in one system and to supplement it if necessary. It is also possible to integrate other functions, possibly already present in the Ecoclean range, such as solvent cleaning before deburring if the import of oils is high. The various standard EcoCvelox modules are designed for parts measuring 200 x 200 x 200 mm on pallets. They therefore cover a large part of the applications in general industry.

The equipment for the different processes is also adapted to the part to be treated. High-pressure deburring can then be carried out by the standard individual spindle and a pressure of up to 1,000 bar (and even up to 3,000 bar if necessary). A high-pressure gun, offered as an option, makes it possible to carry out complex deburring operations because it can be equipped with five different tools. Tool change takes just 1.5 seconds. The tools for the spindle and the HP gun can be specially designed according to the parts and made by 3D printing. The cleaning of the parts can be carried out according to different processes to be combined if necessary such as washing by forced turbulence, cleaning by injection and targeted rinsing. Drying can be done by high speed blowing and/or vacuum drying, blow drying can also be integrated with a cleaning module.

CAD/CAM interface for easy deburring programming

Although usually used in machine tools, the integrated CAD / CAM interface is an absolute novelty in deburring installations. It allows the re-use of part design data for high pressure deburring programming. Thus, it can not only be done offline and stored in the plant control, but also easier and faster than by conventional learning. It also saves time and handling for the implementation of deburring processes for new parts. The detection of parts can be done, among other things, by an integrated camera system. Thus, the deburring of the batch 1 parts is carried out efficiently and economically.

A process time of 14.5 seconds with a cycle of 15 seconds

In the basic version, part handling for the deburring process is done on a Y axis. For a high rate that involves respecting cycle time constraints, the module can be equipped with a second Y axis. Loading and unloading can thus take place in parallel with deburring. This results in a process time of 14.5 seconds almost equal to the cycle time of 15 seconds. This duration is made possible by the integration of a second working chamber, operating in parallel with the cleaning and drying module.

The transport of the pallets between the different deburring units is carried out by a dynamic linear system integrated as standard with a wear-free motor. It transports the parts to the next station at a speed of 4-5 meters per second. It also contributes to the efficiency of the installation as a whole.

The loading of the installation can be manual or automatic with a gantry or robots.

+50% in tool life

According to the process, all tools used for high-pressure deburring are subject to wear resulting in a pressure drop. The tools are affected by this and must be replaced after a certain number of hours of operation. With the new EcoCvelox, the patented software and the high pressure pump equipped with a frequency converter allow regulation of the process pressure. This smarter solution, the objective of which is to continuously adapt the high pressure level, increases the service life of the tools by at least 50% and also the availability of the installation.

For a quick and efficient tool change, the deburring module has a side maintenance door. The lance of the individual spindle as well as the tools of the high-pressure gun are thus easily accessible.

A smart solution for simple and efficient use

Innovative and intuitive operator operation increases process safety and plant availability. The large 19-inch flat screen (HMI) displays each module of the installation in full screen, as on a smartphone, in separate and global view. In the event of a problem, the color of the module concerned changes and goes, for example, to yellow or red. As the HMI is digitally linked to the documentation, simply tap on the module concerned on the touch screen to access the process technology, the functional diagram or the E-plans which represent all the components installed in an overview and the "failed" element appears in a separate color, like a pump for example. By touching with your finger, you can get an even more detailed view. Various functions not only make it possible to search for faults quickly and intuitively, for example by switching components on and off, but also to display clear information which will make it possible to find the solution to the problem. In addition, the lists of spare and wear parts, which are also integrated into the digital documentation, simplify and speed up the ordering of any necessary parts.

Due to its high flexibility, plant configuration and process structure, the EcoCvelox alone and efficiently meets all requirements in the field of deburring, cleaning and drying. To avoid the rejection of air, the installation can be equipped with an energy-efficient forced air system.