Curtis Assemble and Test Ltd, (CAT), manufacture high-pressure wash modules for cleaning machined components. They consist of an electrical control panel, a service unit and either one or two wash heads. For convenience, the wash heads and control panel can be installed up to 5 metres away from the service unit. To help achieve compact installations, CAT has redesigned the service unit so its overall height is 740 mm, a reduction of 210 mm on previous models. This allows it to be installed under a typical workbench or production line platform, thus utilising what would otherwise be wasted space.

In operation, the cleaning cycle starts with a component being loaded into the fixture, either manually or automatically. It is cleaned with jets of oil (ISO 4113), pumped at 100 bar pressure from an array of nozzles located at both ends of the wash head. The flow is pulsed from each end alternately at a rate of 50 Hz. ‘Used’ oil is drawn into a centrifuge where ‘heavy’ debris is removed. The oil is then passed through a two-stage filtration system and re-circulated. Controlled by a PLC, CAT wash modules normally have a wash time of 10 seconds followed by a 5 second air blast. Production may be increased by using two wash heads with each service unit.