Old heating elements

The effectiveness of any machine is only as good as how well it is maintained. Periodic cleaning and preventative maintenance is essential in ensuring that a parts washer will continue to effectively clean and dry parts, especially in the case of strict cleanliness and dryness specifications.

It is inevitable that machine components will wear or break down at some point in time. Being proactive in cleaning, repairing, or replacing components before they fail will allow the parts washer to remain in optimum operating condition without interruption to the production cycle. Depending on the cleaning chemistry used, the water quality, and the contaminants removed during cleaning, components may become worn or soiled quickly. Regular cleaning will prevent build-up of hard water minerals, scaling, soap residue, or grease/oils.

If components are continually used without the proper maintenance, their efficiency or cleaning effectiveness may be compromised. The condition of the solution within the tanks should be monitored frequently to determine when the solution is no longer effective at cleaning the parts, and should then be drained and replaced with clean water and new cleaning chemistry. Once the solution is drained from the tank(s), any residual debris found at the bottom of the tank or on the surface of the heating elements should be removed prior to refilling the tank. Build-up or hard water scale on the heating elements will cause inefficient heating and premature burn-out. In addition, filtration devices such as chip baskets or external filter bags may become clogged with particulate over time and reduce efficiency or potentially cause the solution to begin re-depositing contaminants onto parts and to clog nozzles. Spray nozzles should be removed at scheduled intervals and cleaned to ensure the nozzle orifice is free of any debris. It is easier to perform routine maintenance on a scheduled PM program than to wait until machine components are damaged, causing unscheduled downtime, and/or or until soils have built up to the point they are difficult to remove. A machine that is not operating correctly will not clean or dry properly.

Alliance parts washers are engineered in a way that makes cleaning and maintenance safe and easy. Our Full-Access canopy design allows the operator to have complete access to the interior of the machine. Other “ease of maintenance” features such as pull-out spray headers, removable nozzles, drop-in heating elements, and hinged tank clean-out doors.

cleaning a parts washer

If you are in need to spare parts, please visit our Parts & Service page.