ISO 16232 Compliance with Firbimatic Customized Solutions

— 25 / 05 / 2026

When manufacturing components for the automotive and defence sectors, tolerance for production residues is virtually zero. This is not simply an aesthetic requirement: even microscopic contaminants can lead to critical hydraulic or mechanical failures, compromising performance, reliability, and safety.

Meeting the stringent contamination limits required by ISO 16232 standards in military applications represents one of the most demanding challenges across the supply chain. This case study highlights Firbimatic’s engineering response to a complex deep decontamination requirement through the development of a fully customized industrial cleaning system.

The Challenge: Controlling Particle Contamination in Automotive Defence Applications

The ISO 16232 standard defines rigorous procedures for measuring and classifying particulate contamination on components intended for road vehicles and related applications.
Within the defence industry, acceptable contamination thresholds regarding particle size and type are significantly lower, making conventional industrial cleaning cycles inadequate.
The customer required a cleaning system capable of processing large baskets loaded with components featuring complex geometries and heavy machining oil contamination. The project objectives included:

Complete removal of both fluid and solid contaminants;
Consistent cleaning performance over multiple production shifts;
Prevention of particle redeposition on treated components;
High process reliability for critical defence applications.

The Solution: Firbimatic Multisolvent 400 V – Customized Configuration

To meet these demanding specifications, Firbimatic’s engineering department developed a fully customized Multisolvent 400 V system in a full-option configuration, integrated with a fully automatic loading solution.
The Multisolvent platform incorporates advanced solvent cleaning technologies specifically designed to deliver maximum performance in precision cleaning of metallic components.
The entire cleaning and drying process operates under full vacuum conditions. This technology allows the solvent to penetrate blind holes, cavities and difficult-to-reach geometries while ensuring complete solvent evaporation during drying, eliminating surface residues and stains.

Technical Features and Application Advantages

The customized Multisolvent 400 V configuration included several engineering solutions specifically developed for this project:

Large Cleaning Chamber Capacity

The system was designed to accommodate baskets up to 1200 mm in length, allowing efficient handling of large batches and oversized components typically used in defence vehicles and military equipment.

Dual Distillation System

Cleaning consistency is ensured by an integrated dual distillation unit, continuously separating oils and contaminants from the solvent.
This guarantees the use of regenerated and continuously purified solvent throughout every production cycle, maintaining stable cleaning performance across extended operating shifts.

Enhanced Ultrasonic Cleaning Action

To remove microscopic particles firmly attached to metallic surfaces, the system integrates a reinforced ultrasonic cleaning process.
The mechanical action generated by ultrasonic waves accelerates contaminant detachment, facilitating compliance with the strict cleanliness requirements established by ISO 16232.

Dedicated Filtration and Inverter-Controlled Motors

The liquid circuit is protected by a high-efficiency filtration system designed to retain solid impurities.
Additionally, the machine’s primary motors operate through inverter control technology, reducing mechanical stress, extending equipment lifetime and improving energy efficiency.

Automation and Sustainability for Industry 4.0 Manufacturing

Beyond cleaning performance, the project addressed production efficiency and sustainability requirements typical of modern smart factories.
The installation includes an integrated automatic loading system providing up to 2.5 hours of autonomous operation without direct operator intervention, optimizing production workflows and increasing operational efficiency.
From an environmental perspective, the energy-saving configuration ensures high process efficiency.
Thanks to the closed-loop vacuum operation, solvent emissions are virtually eliminated, reducing solvent consumption to extremely low levels between 3 and 6 grams per complete cycle.
The entire Firbimatic Multisolvent 400 V architecture fully complies with Industry 4.0 / Transition 4.0 requirements, enabling seamless digital integration with factory management systems for real-time process monitoring.

Design Your Customized Cleaning Solution with Firbimatic

Every industrial production process presents unique challenges, especially when compliance requirements are defined by strict technical specifications and international standards.
Firbimatic’s engineering team specializes in developing tailor-made industrial cleaning systems that combine maximum decontamination performance with operational, logistical and energy efficiency requirements.
Contact our team to discuss your project specifications and request a customized technical consultation.

Industrial Cleaning for the Defence Industry