There are many aqueous cleaning systems on the market today, and many companies have reaped the benefits of what these systems offer over older, solvent-based equipment. But, as the adage goes, proof is in the pudding. So, pick up your spoons and read on to learn how one company found quality results as well as money-saving value in their transition to aqueous pressure cleaning.

Derlan Overhaul and Repair (Phoenix, AZ) is a company that serves large, commercial aircraft operators (airlines) and some of their original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including Boeing Douglas Products Division. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)–regulated part 145 repair station, Derlan overhauls flight control surface components to the original equipment manufacturer overhaul manuals. The company then certifies that the components are airworthy.

The flight control surfaces on which Derlan works range from flaps, vanes, and ground spoilers to wing-to-body fairings, elevators, and horizontal and vertical stabilizers. The cleaning portion of the manufacturing operation addresses these items as well as various large and small mechanical assemblies. The substrates vary from different aluminum alloys to titanium, stainless steel, high-tensile carbon steels, carbon/epoxy laminate, advanced composite laminate, and honeycomb sandwich structural parts.

Cleaning is the first step in the overhaul process. The components are subjected to a myriad of airborne contaminates as well as oils, grease, and other aviation lubricants. Derlan recently introduced a high-pressure aqueous cleaning center into this segment of the operation (Figure 1). The system, a Pressure Island product (Menlo Park, Calif), was found to successfully remove the soils brought in on the large aircraft flight control surfaces (Figure 2). According to Mickey Trevett, general manager at Derlan, "The process works very well for our application. It is fast, clean, effective, and completely self-contained."

Figure 1. A high-pressure aqueous cleaning center.

The success of the system was measured not only in terms of contented employees, but by OEM specifications for cleaning processes. The greatest amount of Derlan’s cleaning falls under a Boeing Process Specification BAC5763, Emulsion Cleaning and Aqueous Degreasing, and a Douglas Process Standard DPS9.312, Cleaning, Deoxidizing Aircraft Exterior Surfaces.

The high pressure and the heated water do most of the removal of both high- and low-density solids. The process is augmented by the use of OEM-compliant detergents that help unlock adhesion to the surfaces and break down emulsions of grease, oils, and contaminates (Figure 3).

Figure 2. Aircraft flight control surfaces coated with oils, grease, and other aviation lubricants are cleaned before overhaul.

Figure 3. A Derlan worker makes his way down an aircraft surface with the pressure washing system.

Escape From the Drudgery of Cleaning

Prior to their purchase of the high-pressure aqueous cleaning center, Derlan’s cleaning of the flight control surfaces was, in Trevett’s words, "very labor intensive." Flight control surfaces were manually cleaned using solvents, brushes, and rags. The transition to aqueous cut the cleaning time of average surfaces from 14 hours to about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

The quality of cleaning was also improved. According to Trevett, "The cleaning results have been much improved, especially in corners, hard-to-reach areas, and areas that have a lot of fasteners to clean around. The Pressure Island high-pressure aqueous cleaning center has taken the drudgery out of cleaning these surfaces." He added that inspectors of the components are now able to more clearly identify cracks and other discrepencies.

Business-to-Business Success

Pressure Island is a manufacturer of self-contained, closed-loop aqueous cleaning and recycling systems. Their systems are built to recycle/filter the wastewater and any chemistry via a closed-loop filtration system. This filtration system is a unique process, which utilizes dual filters, an oil skimmer, and an ozone injector. According to the company, their product line is versatile and well-suited for closed-loop cleaning of parts of all shapes and sizes.

Derlan Overhaul discovered Pressure Island via a magazine advertisement, which directed them to the company website. Initial communication led to more in-depth discussions, and . . . well, you know the rest.

Acknowledgements

Parts Cleaning would like to thank Cindy Long, vice president of marketing at Pressure Island, and Mickey Trevett, general manager at Derlan Overhaul and Repair, for providing the data on which this article is based.

FYI

For more information on the cleaning system discussed in this article, contact:

Pressure Island

3345 Edison Way

Menlo Park, CA 94025

Phone: (650) 780-7900