Plasma cleaner for chemical-free cleaning and surface treatment of ferrous and NF wire

Surface cleaning and degreasing is an important part of wire production process. Traditionally this involves mechanical or wet, chemical processes that are potentially harmful to the operator and the environment. One way to turn production chemical-free is to use plasma surface cleaning, which is a dry surface treatment.

Plasma cleaner is a plasma surface treatment machine designed for surface cleaning, degreasing or oxide removal on ferrous and non-ferrous wire. Plasma treatment is a dry process that requires no rinsing or drying. Plasma treated surface can be used for removal of wet lubricant or fine oxide layer removal.

Whilst the material is kept in inert atmosphere the material surface is cleaned and activated hence allowing for effective surface coating (good coat adhesion) or strong intermetallic layer creation between the material and surface coating. Plasma cleaner can be used in conjunction with polymer coating/extrusion (PTFE, FEP, PFA, ETFE, Teflon), cladding, spray coating, taping, enamelling, magnet wire, or for production of power and signalling conductors for various cables (solid, rectangular, braided, bunched). Plasma cleaner can also be used as an efficient and accurate preheater.

Plasma is ineffective when it comes to removal of large quantities of soaps and scale, where conventional cleaning processes such as ultrasonic leaning, which can be used as pre-cleaning in combination with fine, dry plasma treatment.

After cooling in inert atmosphere the material can also be led to ambient air where a fine oxide layer is formed on the processed material surface. This results in a high degree of surface passivation, which will protect the surface by slowing down subsequent surface corrosion.