Cold Formed Parts Cleaning

A Reliable Solution for High-Adhesion Forming Lubricants

— 23 / 07 / 2026

Cold forming is one of the most efficient manufacturing processes for producing high-strength, precision metal components in large volumes. It is widely adopted across the automotive, e-mobility, and industrial manufacturing sectors because it offers excellent dimensional accuracy while preserving the mechanical properties of the material

However, what makes cold forming so effective also makes it one of the most challenging processes from a technical cleaning perspective.

The Challenge of Cleaning Cold Formed Metal Parts

During the forming process, components are exposed to high-performance lubricants specifically developed to withstand extreme pressures and severe mechanical stresses. These synthetic forming oils create a highly adhesive film that protects both the tooling and the workpiece throughout deformation.
At the same time, microscopic metal particles, chips, and process residues become trapped within this lubricant layer. Conventional cleaning technologies often struggle to remove both the oil film and the embedded contaminants completely, particularly when parts feature blind holes, internal channels, or complex geometries.
If even small amounts of contamination remain, subsequent manufacturing operations—including welding, coating, assembly, leak testing, and surface treatments—can be negatively affected, leading to quality issues, production inefficiencies, and increased manufacturing costs.
For manufacturers operating in high-volume industries such as automotive production, achieving consistent technical cleanliness is therefore a critical requirement rather than simply an additional process step.

A Vacuum Solvent Cleaning Solution Designed for High-Volume Production

To meet these demanding cleaning requirements, Firbimatic developed the EK 120 V, an advanced vacuum solvent cleaning system engineered for a global automotive manufacturer producing cold formed components on a large scale.
The machine has been specifically designed to combine exceptional cleaning performance with continuous production capability. It accommodates wash baskets with a volume of 1.5 m³ and processes loads of up to 1,000 kg per cycle, making it suitable for heavy-duty industrial applications.
To guarantee stable cleaning performance throughout continuous operation, the system incorporates a total solvent capacity of 10,000 litres, distributed across multiple process tanks. This configuration ensures consistently high solvent purity while minimizing contamination carry-over during production.

Multiple Cleaning Technologies Working Together

Removing high-adhesion forming oils requires more than solvent alone.
The EK 120 V combines several complementary cleaning technologies into a single fully automated process.
An 8 kW ultrasonic system breaks down stubborn contamination, while continuous 360-degree basket rotation exposes every surface of the components to the cleaning media. The alternating action of liquid solvent, solvent vapour, ultrasonic cavitation, and mechanical movement allows the process to penetrate deep into intricate geometries and difficult-to-reach internal areas.
The cleaning cycle concludes with a full vacuum drying stage, ensuring that every component leaves the chamber completely dry and free from residual solvent before the machine is opened.
The result is a consistently high level of cleanliness, even for parts with complex shapes and demanding contamination profiles.

Intelligent Automation Improves Productivity and Traceability

Cleaning performance alone is no longer sufficient in today's manufacturing environment. Production efficiency and complete process traceability are equally important.
For this reason, the EK 120 V features a fully automatic loading and unloading system capable of handling up to six baskets simultaneously, allowing the machine to operate continuously with minimal operator intervention.
Each basket is identified through an integrated barcode reader. Once scanned, the control system automatically selects the appropriate cleaning program according to the component type, geometry, and contamination level.
This intelligent process management eliminates the possibility of incorrect program selection while ensuring complete production traceability and repeatable cleaning quality for every batch processed.

Meeting ISO 16232 and VDA 19 Cleanliness Requirements

The entire cleaning process was engineered to achieve demanding technical cleanliness specifications without sacrificing production throughput.
Despite processing loads of up to 1,000 kg, the complete cleaning cycle requires only 15 minutes, enabling the washing system to match the production pace of modern automotive manufacturing facilities.
Following treatment, components are completely free from oils, particulate contamination, and residual solvent, making them immediately suitable for downstream manufacturing operations.
Laboratory verification through gravimetric and particle analysis confirmed compliance with the internationally recognised ISO 16232 and VDA 19 standards, providing manufacturers with the confidence that every cleaned component meets the strict technical cleanliness requirements demanded by today's automotive industry.

Firbimatic: Advanced Industrial Cleaning Solutions for Complex Manufacturing Processes

With more than fifty years of experience in industrial parts cleaning, Firbimatic designs and manufactures customised cleaning systems using solvent, modified alcohol, hydrocarbon, and aqueous technologies.
Every project begins with a detailed analysis of the customer's production process, contamination challenges, throughput requirements, and cleanliness targets. This engineering approach enables Firbimatic to develop tailor-made solutions that combine superior cleaning performance, reduced operating costs, lower environmental impact, and maximum process reliability.
Whether your application involves cold formed components, precision machined parts, or complex assemblies for the automotive industry, Firbimatic can help you achieve the technical cleanliness standards your production requires.
Contact our engineering team to discuss your application and discover the most effective cleaning solution for your manufacturing process.

A Reliable Solution for High-Adhesion Forming Lubricants

The Challenge of Cleaning Cold Formed Metal Parts

A Vacuum Solvent Cleaning Solution Designed for High-Volume Production

Multiple Cleaning Technologies Working Together

Intelligent Automation Improves Productivity and Traceability

Meeting ISO 16232 and VDA 19 Cleanliness Requirements

Firbimatic: Advanced Industrial Cleaning Solutions for Complex Manufacturing Processes

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