Background and Problem
Transfer line machining of cylinder blocks and heads operates at very tight tolerances — typically ±15–25 microns on critical dimensions. In this environment, fixture contamination — metal fines and oil on datum faces — directly causes out-of-tolerance parts without any machine accuracy issue. A 10-micron metal fine on a datum face produces exactly 10 microns of positional error.
The facility was running a TPM programme but the cleaning chemical aspect had not been systematically addressed. Maintenance was using general-purpose solvent-based cleaners and diesel for fixture cleaning — products that dissolved oil but left a residue that actually attracted and retained metal fines more effectively than uncontaminated surfaces.
Additionally, the coolant system was showing rapid contamination — tramp oil from machine way lubricants and leaking hydraulic systems was entering the coolant sump, reducing coolant life from the expected 6 months to under 6 weeks. The plastic bins used to transfer components between the transfer line and washing station were heavily contaminated with coolant-oil emulsion, transferring this contamination onto washed parts.
REFA Solution
Machine Surface Cleaning Protocol
REFA Machine Surface Cleaner was introduced for all fixture and datum surface cleaning. Unlike solvent-based cleaners, REFA’s product leaves no residue film — fixtures cleaned with it have genuinely clean surfaces that do not retain subsequent contamination. Cleaning frequency standardised: all fixture datum faces cleaned at every setup change (typically every 2 hours) and at shift change.
Plastic Bin Cleaning
REFA Plastic Bin Cleaner was used to completely clean all transfer bins — a single deep-clean programme over 3 days. Weekly bin cleaning cycle established thereafter. Contamination transfer from bins to washed parts eliminated.
Floor Cleaning
REFA Industrial Epoxy Floor Cleaner replaced the general-purpose floor cleaner — removing the accumulated oil-coolant-swarf mix from floor surfaces. Clean floors reduced the contamination cycling back onto machine surfaces from forklift traffic and foot traffic.
Results
Out-of-tolerance parts from fixture contamination: reduced by 67% in the first month. Coolant system life extended from 6 weeks to 5 months.
- Fixture cleaning time per setup: reduced from 8 minutes (with residue problem) to 3 minutes with REFA product
- Coolant replacement frequency and chemical cost: reduced by 73% — saving Rs. 2.8 lakhs/year
- Part contamination complaints from downstream washing stage: eliminated
- 5S audit score for cleanliness and organisation: improved from 62% to 88%
- Machine breakdown attributed to swarf ingestion into slideways: reduced by 45%
Looking for machine surface cleaners, bin cleaners, and industrial floor cleaners for auto component transfer lines?
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