Additional Considerations
Service
The type of service available varies from one manufacturer to another. Most manufacturers offer lifetime service over the telephone. This means that you must have someone available who can perform basic electrical tests and report the findings to the manufacturer’s service department. Most problems can be easily solved by replacing a defective component.
Some manufacturers use their sales representatives or distributors to make service calls. Some sales personnel are qualified to do service, but most are not.
Some manufacturers will send a technician to do a start-up and service on a per-diem basis with the customer paying expenses. If the oven was adequately tested at the factory, this should not be necessary. You should be able to run a few tests to verify that the oven is working properly. Steelman Heat-Cleaning Ovens are thoroughly tested for several days to assure that they are working perfectly before they are shipped.
Steelman service is available, toll-free, at 1-800-BURN-OFF (1-800-287-6633).
Air Permits
Many states require that you obtain an air permit for a new heat-cleaning oven. Some states require a Permit to Construct before the oven is delivered. Heat-cleaning ovens are exempt from permits in some states; however, you should notify the air quality agency of the installation.
The buyer is responsible for the permit application; however, the oven manufacturer should provide all the technical information necessary to complete the application, including expected emission rates. Be sure that this information is based on actual independent test data, not estimates. Some manufacturers provide this service for free; others charge a fee. It’s a good idea to get a permit before you buy the oven so that you won’t buy an oven that you can’t operate.
Unlike some manufacturers, Steelman uses actual stack test data from an independent testing lab to certify that our ovens are environmentally sound (see Figure 11).
Secondary Cleaning
A heat-cleaning oven removes all materials that will decompose at an operating temperature 600oF to 1,000oF. The remaining material is the ash formed from the nonvolatile materials and inorganic pigments such as titanium dioxide on fixtures and plastic processing equipment, and dirt on automotive parts.
Paint and Powder
The ash will easily fall off the fixtures if they are brushed or tapped. The inorganic pigments require a more aggressive approach such as a high-pressure water spray. Generally, fixtures coated with light colors have more pigment and are more difficult to clean than those with dark colors. Send sample fixtures to the oven manufacturer for testing to determine the amount of secondary cleaning required.
When you buy a heat-cleaning oven for cleaning paint or powder fixtures, you should also plan to install a wash station where the fixtures can be cleaned with a high-pressure washer. A wash station can take many forms, but should include a floor drain or sump pump to handle the water and partitions or curtains to contain the spray. It should be located as close to the oven as possible. Transporting fixtures before washing can leave pigment all over the plant. In most cases, the wash water and solid materials can go down the sanitary sewer drain; however, you should verify this with the local water treatment authority. Titanium dioxide, a common pigment, is nonhazardous and is used in many foods. Check the powder manufacturer’s material safety data sheet (MSDS) for heavy metals and other inorganic materials. Systems are available to collect and recycle the wash water if required. Steelman can help you design a wash booth for your facility (see Figure 12).
Electric Motor Rewind
After heat stripping, the copper windings are removed by hand and the cores are steam cleaned or blasted with air to remove the ash.
Automotive
The grit and rust remaining on automotive blocks and heads is normally removed by shot blasting.
Plastics Processing
The small amounts of pigment left on screws and dies can be removed with a pressure washer, ultrasonic cleaning or by hand wiping.
