Aerospace and Aviation

Achieving a repeatable cleaning quality when washing parts for use in aviation is vital to manufacturing in the aerospace industry. Alongside our spray washers with designated NATO stock numbers, we have a full selection of parts washers and ultrasonic cleaners that are used across the sector.

Overhaul MRO with Rotajet's Spray Washers

Prior to any repair or maintenance, aviation components need to be clean and free from any surface contamination; ready for non-destructive testing (NDT). Rotajet manufacture a range of ultrasonic cleaning equipment for the removal of surface coatings, carbon deposit, paint, etc. 

Our standard range of parts washers are typically used for the initial cleaning and removal of the heavy deposit of oil, grease, dirt etc. from the components prior to stripping them down. 

Rotajet Model

Approval Type
Approval Number

D40

NSN
No. 4430-99-6237187

D40

BAE Part No.
RJD40FH/BAEX03

D40

RAF/Nato stock
4430-99-623-7187

D40

AP Number:
4A/6237187

D60

NSN
No. 4430-99-7010402

D80

NSN
NO.4430-99-1511336

Depending on your requirements, once initially washed and degreased in the Rotajet parts washers, the parts are stripped into individual component parts. These may then be cleaned and degreased again prior to inspection, using a Rotajet ultrasonic washing system. The operation may be performed with a combination of spray washers and ultrasonic cleaners, depending on the component being maintained.

If components will not fit into standard Rotajet spray washing and ultrasonic machines, bespoke machines can be manufactured. Rotajet will supply the machines with suitable aerospace-approved degreasing chemicals, along with all test and control methods for the wash solution.

Bench-top Ultrasonics - RJ-USC/1

New Parts Cleaning

Rotajet bench-top ultrasonic cleaners are used for degreasing and cleaning small components. For large components, Rotajet manufacture a range of industrial ultrasonic cleaning tanks; these machines are ideally suited to cleaning and degreasing larger aerospace components. For larger parts, two-stage wash and DI rinse ultrasonic machines are typically used. To avoid any staining on the machined surfaces Rotajet can also fit an additional freshwater purge. The wash solutions can be monitored using pH or conductivity and all readings are data-logged for traceability. Rotajet will supply the machines with a suitable aerospace-approved degreasing chemical, along with all test and control methods for the wash solution.

If the components are too large for the standard Rotajet ultrasonic cleaning machines, Rotajet can manufacture bespoke machines to accommodate larger sized parts.

New Component Crack Detection

Our ultrasonic machines are used for degreasing and cleaning aerospace components prior to dye penetration crack detection. The multistage ultrasonic systems are fitted with four stages: wash, rinse, freshwater rinse and dry. In areas where the water is hard and contains high levels of calcium salts, the final rinse is normally passed through ion exchange resins to reduce the dissolved salt levels in the rinse water. In NDT application, the machines are fitted with water monitoring and data-logging features. 

For larger components which the standard ultrasonic cleaning and degreasing machines will not accommodate, Rotajet manufacture bespoke machines.

Ultrasonic Tanks - RJ-USC/2

Aerospace ultrasonic cleaner

The challenges often faced within the aviation industry when it comes to manufacture and cleaning, are the sheer volume of regulations and specifications that each part is required to meet in order to deem the aircraft ‘airworthy’.

With the smallest aeroplane consisting of as many as 367,000 individual parts, this is no simple task. In fact, some aviation maintenance procedures can take months to complete before the aircraft can be airborne again.

These aviation standards and procedures are in place for a number of specific reasons, all which contribute to maintaining the safety and lifespan of the aircraft.

The challenges often faced within the aviation industry when it comes to manufacture and cleaning are the sheer volume of regulations and specifications that each part is required to meet to deem the aircraft ‘airworthy’.

With the smallest airplane consisting of as many as 367,000 individual parts, this is no simple task. In fact, some aviation maintenance procedures can take months to complete before the aircraft can be airborne again.

 

These aviation standards and procedures are in place for several specific reasons, all which contribute to maintaining the safety and lifespan of the aircraft.

As each individual part of the aircraft has its own role to play in ensuring the aircraft meets

exacting standards, this means that each part must be properly maintained, cleaned, tested, and ultimately replaced at regular intervals.

Selecting the right solvents and cleaning utensils plays another major role in the strict procedures that govern parts cleaning in the aviation industry. This is because using the wrong solvents can result in the degrading, wear or etching of the parts, which in turn can lead to their early demise and/or, in some cases, be detrimental to the aircraft as a whole.

Unlike other cleaning procedures, in the aviation industry this task can be much more complex and demanding as the consequences and risks involved can be mountainous.

Cleaning aircraft parts can be understood as relying upon two major factors: having the correct cleaning agents, and having the applicable cleaning/degreasing machine. This can mean using a machine like the aerospace-approved Bench-Top Ultrasonic Machine (RJ-USC/1) for smaller components due to its optimised use of freshwater, chemicals, pressure and heat for each specific application.

For larger parts and components, a Parts Washer like the RJ-TL1000 can be used to remove heavy deposits such as dirt, grease and oil, as well as surface coatings, paint, carbon deposit, etc. This process can be fully tailored and optimised for each individual application, so that each part is cleaned and degreased to exacting aviation standards.

Once parts have been through the RJ-TL1000, they can then be stripped down into their constituent components and sent through the Ultrasonic Machine (RJ-USC/1) for completion. If smaller parts do not fit into a ultrasonic machine, custom-built machines can be made to suit the specific application. These custom machines can even be supplied with aerospace-approved degreasing chemicals as well as test and control methods for the wash solution.

While the sheer volume of aircraft parts and cleaning specifications can make parts cleaning a particularly daunting task, this doesn’t mean that the process cannot be streamlined.

Cleaning machines such as the RJ-TL1000 Parts Washer and the RJ-USC/1 Bench-Top Ultrasonic Machine does exactly this. Built to meet aviation standards, these machines can completely eradicate the need for any manual input when it comes to cleaning aircraft parts and components. Not only does this guarantee precise and consistent cleaning every time, but also removes the hazard and risk involved with manual cleaning.

why work with rotajet systems limited

Rotajet are the experts in the design and manufacture of cleaning and degreasing machinery for the aerospace industry. We’ve created intuitive systems to re-purpose, repair and manufacture metal and plastic components.

Degreasing Solutions

We’ve been making degreasing machines for over 30 years. In that time we have produced over 1000 different machines and developed a whole range of standard offerings to choose from.

Rotajet Systems Ltd
Unit 14
Flanshaw Way
Wakefield
West Yorkshire
WF2 9LP
info@rotajet.co.uk

(+44)1924271446

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