What is EnviroRinse™
Formulated and manufactured by Lake Engineering Solutions, EnviroRinse™ has been created to protect precision machined components from corrosion during transportation and storage for up to two years.
An environmentally sustainable bio-based rinse solution, EnviroRinse™ is the first rust preventative designed to be added directly into the rinse stage in aqueous parts cleaning machines to provide effective, long-term corrosion protection.
Unlike traditional rust preventative oils, EnviroRinse™ protects against corrosion without leaving any residues. This means that there is no subsequent cleaning to remove preservative oils, no quality risks, and no loss of time. EnviroRinse™ leaves a dry uniform film on the surface of the metal that is virtually undetectable and easily removed using a weak acid or alkaline solution. Workspaces are now more clean and manufactured components are both cleaner and easier (non-slip) to handle.
Lake Engineering Solutions work across all key manufacturing and engineering industries, to provide ultimate customer value.
Why is it needed?
Corrosion of machined components is a costly problem, particularly during transportation and long-term storage. Effective corrosion management is necessary for successful operations, without it companies could face the following threats:
- Costly and labour-intensive re-work/de-rusting
- Scrappage of components
- Quality control rejections
- Customer rejections
- Reputation damage
How was it developed?
Using the internal New Product Development (NDP) Process, Lake Engineering Solutions worked collaboratively with MecWash to develop a product that could be added directly into the rinse tanks of MecWash aqueous wash systems giving long term corrosion protection.
Established in 1993, MecWash Systems Ltd specialise in the design and manufacture of a complete range of aqueous parts cleaning and degreasing systems for metal and plastic engineering components with complex geometries, difficult substrates or tenacious contaminants, offering a safe and practical alternative to harmful solvents.
John Pattison, MD of MecWash Systems Ltd explains:
“The MecWash process will protect the component so that the component exits the process clean, dry and in the identical surface condition as prior to processing.
The MecWash process is also tailored to provide the optimum surface required by the component for the next stage.
This can be:
- Inhibitor free for optimised adhesion, post treatment, painting, surface treatment / modification and impregnation
- Corrosion protected for several weeks or months when stored in a dry condition at ambient temperatures
Aqueous cleaning provides enhanced protection compared to solvent cleaning but standard wash chemicals do not guarantee long term protection.
For guaranteed long term corrosion protection MecWash works in conjunction with Lake Engineering Solutions and recommend their Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor (VCI) technology.
This extends the life of the protection from a few weeks to up to 24 months provided the components are prepared and stored using the recommended procedures.
The disadvantage of traditional VCI packaging technology is that it often consumes environmentally unfriendly plastics, it adds more cost to packaging and also requires more time for accurate packing / sealing.
Therefore, MecWash Systems Ltd have worked closely with Lake Engineering Solutions to develop a process within the MecWash machine that provides long term corrosion protection without the need for disposable VCI plastics or Mineral and Solvent based oils.
The story today.
As a multi-industry provider of full service, precision CNC machining solutions Stourbridge Turning & Grinding (STAG) specialises in the manufacture of complex precision components. Formed in 1988 and based in Stourbridge, West Midlands UK, their reputation has grown alongside capacity. STAG offer high quality precision parts, providing engineered solutions to a wide variety of OEM and 1st tier manufacturers around the world.
STAG Director, Phil Pargeter, wanted the ability to store finished precision components for long periods of time without the risk of corrosion or the need for expensive VCI packaging.
After searching the market for a corrosion inhibitor giving protection greater than a few weeks, STAG then selected Lake Engineering Solutions to trial EnviroRinse™ 201. Once the team at STAG saw that EnviroRinse™ 201 had met all of its requirements, the solution was incorporated into the rinse stage of the MecWash Duo 400 aqueous cleaning and degreasing machine. Lake Engineering Solutions, Mecwash Systems Ltd and STAG worked collaboratively together to initiate the successful implementation of EnviroRinseTM 201, which has been used since 2019.
“Lake Engineering Solutions provided all documentation and helped immensely with all technical aspects of EnviroRinse™ 201, both parties collaborated to successfully implement this product within the existing STAG processes” said Phil. “STAG have now added EnviroRinse™ 201 to its standard wash and rinse procedure, applying this solution to every manufactured component.”
Dean Kenny, Corrosion Engineer at Lake Engineering Solutions, added;
‘’Since EnviroRinse™ was developed the industry reaction has been unbelievable, parts are now being protected against long-term corrosion in an automated process inside the MecWash machine. Metal components are meeting the cleanliness specifications required and are immediately being protected in the rinse stage with EnviroRinseTM, there are huge benefits to the industry of using this product.
"Many companies already have measures in place to combat corrosion, however, this may be excessive VCI packaging or dipping in an oil or solvent-based product after the washing process. The problem with this in a supply chain is that there are significant quantities of waste plastics or excessive cleaning to remove a rust preventative off the parts; with EnviroRinse™ this is not needed.
"Lake Engineering Solutions are working with global companies in the Hydraulics, Commercial vehicles and Engines market who are requesting that their suppliers use the product. EnviroRinse™ is now approved and stipulated on many specifications."
For more information on this article, please contact:
envirorinse@lakecm.co.uk or enquire@mecwash.co.uk