Case Studies

Manufacturing

Case Studies:

Ferro-TERJ 1070 Polishes Stainless Steel While Preventing Staining and Decreasing Energy Usage

OPPORTUNITY:

The customer is a stainless steel sink manufacturer. Following production, the stainless steel sinks are processed through a washing line. Following the clean, operators conduct a visual inspection for quality. In the cleaning process, they historically have utilized a competitor’s cleaner at a 2.5% concentration, and an increased 5% concentration when severe staining occurred, at 160°F (71.1°C). Even after washing at the higher concentration, the customer still found difficulty in removing heavy stains from the sinks.
Because of their dissatisfaction in part cleanliness and operating costs, the customer began looking for an alternative cleaning solution.

THE DUBOIS SOLUTION:

DuBois partnered with the manufacturer to introduce Ferro-TERJ 1070. Ferro-TERJ 1070 is a low-foaming, liquid alkaline cleaner, designed for use in systems where high levels of potassium alkali are required. It is particularly effective for cleaning polished stainless steel surfaces where buffing and polishing compounds must be removed and is built with a penetrating agent to help prevent staining. Ferro-TERJ 1070, being potassium alkali-based, often has a longer tank life and better solubility than sodium-based products.
The DuBois technical team worked with the customer to implement Ferro-TERJ 1070 and test on stained sinks to determine the ideal bath parameters. To start, the team looked to determine a more quantifiable test method in addition to visual inspections. They introduced the operators to a dyne surface tension test kit and trained the operators on the new quality test method. Then, they began dialing in the bath concentration and temperature required for success. After several trials, the team determined that optimal results could be achieved with a 2% concentration of Ferro-TERJ 1070 at 135°F (57.2°C).

RESULTS AND BENEFITS:

Upon the implementation of Ferro-TERJ 1070, the customer immediately noticed the high polish on the stainless steel parts and the elimination of staining. They also noted their appreciation for the new dyne surface tension quality test method and the support from the DuBois laboratory and technical teams. By reducing the temperature from 160°F to 135°F, the customer reported a $65,000 decrease in their annual gas costs. The customer and the DuBois technical team are looking forward to partnering on more improvement opportunities in their other operations.