Business Areas

Fraunhofer Cleaning Technology Alliance

Cleaning In Maintenance and Repair

An integral part of the maintenance process

Cleaning is a part of every maintenance and repair process and is essential to proper operation. In most cases, cleaning is the first step when servicing and maintaining machines and equipment. Without first removing contaminants, inspection, diagnosis and repair cannot be performed. The cleaning of machines and equipment can often be classified by the fol lowing objectives and requirements:

  • Visual
  • Preventative and
  • Functionally relevant

Cleaning is employed to remove visible layers and dirt, and to restore the appearance of the original. Preventative cleaning aims to maintain operational efficiency, in order to avoid costly repairs and to reduce the downtimes of machines and equipment. When relevant to proper operation, cleaning may involve the removal of functional coatings prior to their renewal as part of manufacturing and repair.

Cleaning that addresses issues

In addition to the high processing, treatment and disposal costs, the often manual cleaning processes impose a burden on the environment, on the health of workers and on the components themselves. Many cleaning methods are the target of public criticism and more stringent environmental requirements. Growing importance is therefore being attached to cleaning processes that can easily be adapted to tackling the specific problems being faced in a more ecologically efficient manner.