Elbi International halves cleaning time

Elbi International needed a more effective way to clean injection moulds used to manufacture technical components for appliances, HVAC and automation. A larger automated ultrasonic cleaning system improved cleaning quality, reduced manual work and freed skilled staff for other activities.

• 50 % reduction in mould cleaning time
• Consistent mould cleaning

The company and its needs

Elbi International, part of the Bitron Group, designs and manufactures components and systems for domestic appliances, HVAC and automation. Its Collegno plant includes a thermoplastic injection moulding department producing complex, high-precision technical components.

Moulds need regular, thorough cleaning to maintain product quality and production efficiency. Elbi was using a small 50–60 litre ultrasonic bath, but the cleaning results were inconsistent and often required manual finishing. The limited bath size also prevented the team from cleaning larger and heavier moulds.

The company needed a more capable solution that would improve cleaning quality, increase capacity and reduce the amount of manual work required from skilled technicians.

The Safetykleen solution

Safetykleen provided a free trial of a 150-litre Sonickleen ultrasonic machine and a suitable cleaning fluid. This allowed Elbi to compare the new technology with its existing bath before committing to a new solution.

The trial demonstrated deeper and more consistent cleaning, so Elbi selected a 300-litre Sonickleen system. The larger machine provided greater loading capacity and enabled the team to clean moulds that were previously too large for its existing equipment.

Safetykleen also manages machine maintenance and the replacement and disposal of cleaning fluid, reducing the operational burden on Elbi’s team.

Using Safetykleen’s ultrasonic cleaning solutions has significantly improved the quality of mould cleaning. In around 45 minutes we can clean half a mould automatically, freeing the technician to focus on other activities.

Giorgio Meotto, Moulds and Moulding Industrialization Manager, Elbi International S.p.A.

Results

Improved cleaning quality

The Sonickleen system removes carbon residues generated during thermoplastic injection moulding and provides more uniform, precise mould cleaning.

50% reduction in cleaning time

Around half a mould can be cleaned automatically in approximately 45 minutes, allowing the technician who previously carried out manual cleaning to focus on other tasks.

Greater production capacity

The 300-litre Sonickleen can accommodate larger and heavier moulds that could not be cleaned in the previous bath.

Reduced maintenance burden

Safetykleen manages machine maintenance and the replacement and disposal of cleaning fluid as part of the service.