Snow-jet cleaning has become a state-of-the-art solution for preparing plastic components prior to coating. To enhance cleaning quality and paint finish even further, automotive components specialist KTX has upgraded the snow-jet cleaning systems integrated into its automated paint shops by replacing conventional nozzles with an innovative rotary system.
Headquartered in Weissenburg, Bavaria, KTX produces interior and exterior trim components for the automotive industry, covering the entire production chain from design to final assembly. The company manufactures its parts using injection moulding machines with clamping forces ranging from 80 to 3200 T and operates advanced paint shops for finishing high-quality trim components.
Clean surfaces are critical to achieving flawless coatings, particularly for high-gloss finishes, such as piano black. Even the smallest dust particles or fibres can lead to surface defects and rejected parts. For this reason, KTX sought ways to further optimise its paint shop cleaning processes.
Working with ACP Systems AG, a specialist in snow-jet cleaning technology, KTX evaluated an alternative cleaning concept. The QuattroClean system uses recycled liquid carbon dioxide that expands through a specialised nozzle to form fine CO₂ snow. Accelerated by compressed air to supersonic speed, the jet removes particulate and filmic contamination, leaving surfaces dry and residue-free.
Tests demonstrated that an array equipped with multiple nozzles would deliver improved paint finishes compared with the existing configuration. As a result, the partners developed a rotary nozzle system that could be integrated into the existing cleaning module. The new rotary unit features three nozzles mounted on the cleaning module’s linear system.
According to KTX, the technology has significantly improved process stability and coating quality while also delivering economic benefits, and the company is now considering deploying the solution in additional paint shops.
More information www.acp-systems.com
