Battling with sludge?
GETTING RID OF SLUDGE
What is sludge?
Sludge is a by-product of a typical pre-treatment chemical process. Very often, however, sludge is confused with sediment, which is mainly made up of particles of oil, dirt, etc.
Sludge increases with the use of the chemical process and degrades the quality of the pre-treatment very quickly when the sludge exceeds the critical limit for the process. Wash and rinse baths may look relatively clear/clean, even if they are not.
Sludge formation is, therefore, a property that depends on chemical processes. With the wrong equipment or inadequate maintenance, problems caused by a sludge-producing process can easily spread from one treatment step to the next. In addition to well-functioning filtration and recycling, sufficiently short chemical and rinse water change intervals are needed, as well as regular equipment maintenance. It is, therefore, worth investing sufficient time and patience in analysing the daily washes.
Our zero-sludge and low-sludge solutions
One of our principal’s main product development goals is to bring to the market pre-treatment processes that are free of or low in sludge. With no sludge build-up, the frequency of washing and rinsing is increased and the prewash process is easier to manage and upkeep, maintaining a consistently high level of quality.
For example, the 1-step Toran and Pronortec thin-film treatments are completely sludge-free. Low-sludge treatments include Orgasil thin-film treatment and Sache alkaline washes. As a result, we can offer stable and economical pre-wash processes that combine consistent quality with ease of line operation and maintenance.
Learn more on our Products page.