If you want to use vapour degreasing, it’s important to follow safety guidelines and use appropriate solvents. Taking all necessary precautions, which we’ll look at here, and assessing all your equipment, materials and processes first is a must to ensure it works well.
What is vapour degreasing?
Vapour degreasing is used in industrial settings to clean parts by using condensed solvent vapours to clean an object without having to use any water. Solvent is heated in a tank using a vapour degreaser, which then leads to vapour that rises to a cooler zone in which the part to be cleaned is placed.
Vapour degreasing reduces the surface tension of liquids, making it easier to reach hard-to-clean parts and breaking up dirt and debris more easily. It is usually used by companies that require their manufactured parts to be precision cleaned – most commonly those in the aviation, automotive and medical device industries.
It is often used on parts which are then going to undergo electroless nickel plating, provided by surface treatment specialists such as www.poeton.co.uk/surface-treatments/plating/electroless-nickel-plating/, to ensure they are completely smooth and ready for plating.
Safety considerations
Most solvents have to be handled with care, and the choice of solvent is key, with some now available which have lower toxicity. You should always use good ventilation and wear personal protective equipment, including goggles and gloves.
Anyone working with vapour degreasers should have proper training in how to operate the equipment and handle the solvents. Finally, you should always dispose of the solvent in line with environmental regulations.
