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Frequently Asked Questions

Parts Washer Basics

A parts washer is an industrial machine that automates the cleaning of contaminants such as oil, grease, dirt, and metal chips from manufactured parts. A typical washer combines some or all of the following stages:

  • Pre-cleaning: removes large debris with brushes, scrapers, or compressed air to prevent fouling of the wash stage.

  • Washing: parts are submerged (immersion) or sprayed with high-pressure water-based or solvent-based cleaning solutions to remove oils and debris.

  • Rinsing: clean water removes chemical residues from the wash stage. High-purity water (RO or DI) is often used to prevent water spots, and rust-preventative chemicals may be added to leave a thin layer of corrosion protection.

  • Drying: high-velocity air, either ambient or heated, removes moisture to prevent corrosion.

An aqueous parts washer uses water-based detergent and hot water to remove oils and debris through impingement and chemical action. A pump pushes the cleaning solution through a bag filter and then through a series of spray nozzles aimed at the part. The solution drains off the part and back into the tank, where it is filtered and reused. At Inline, we design our washers around a closed-loop wash system that recirculates and filters the cleaning solution, which extends bath life and reduces water and detergent consumption.

140 °F – 160 °F (60 °C – 70 °C) is the most common operating range for aqueous parts washers. Lower temperatures often result in excessive foam from the wash detergent, while higher temperatures require additional energy and produce more steam — though they can help dissolve stubborn oils and deposits. The optimal setpoint depends on your detergent chemistry and contamination type. Our standard washers use electric immersion heaters for efficient, controllable heating, with gas-fired and steam-heat options available.

Five main variables determine cleaning performance:

  • Time: detergents require a minimum contact time to remove oils and other contaminants.

  • Temperature: higher temperatures help dissolve oil and dislodge stubborn contaminants.

  • Chemistry: the cleaning agent must be formulated for the contaminants on the part, and concentration must be controlled for optimal performance.

  • Pressure: higher pressure helps remove chips, dirt, and other debris that require mechanical impingement. Industrial aqueous spray washers typically operate between 40 – 120 psi (3 – 8 bar), though some applications call for higher pressures.

  • Filtration: any contaminants present in your wash solution will end up on your finished part. Effective filtration is essential to consistent cleanliness.

For most modern manufacturing applications, aqueous cleaning offers several advantages over solvent-based processes:

  • Safety: water-based detergents generally have a lower flammability risk than solvent alternatives, making them safer to store and use.

  • Health: aqueous detergents typically produce fewer hazardous fumes, improving operator safety.

  • Environmental impact: water-based detergents have lower volatile organic compound (VOC) levels and are often biodegradable. Many can be drained into sanitary sewer where local regulations permit.

  • Material compatibility: aqueous detergents are compatible with a wide range of materials including plastics, aluminum, and rubber, which also reduces wear on washer components such as seals.

  • Ease of use: aqueous detergents generally require minimal PPE, can be diluted with water, and are simpler for operators to handle.

Solvent systems still have a place for certain specialty applications, but aqueous spray washing — the focus of every Inline machine — is the right choice for the vast majority of industrial operations.

Each method excels at a different cleaning challenge:

  • Aqueous spray: uses pressurized water-based detergent through spray nozzles. Ideal for high-volume production cleaning of stamped, machined, or assembled parts. This is the technology we specialize in at Inline.

  • Ultrasonic: uses high-frequency sound waves in a bath to dislodge fine particles, especially from blind holes, threads, and internal passages. Excellent for precision components but lower throughput.

  • Vapor degreasing: uses solvent vapor to dissolve heavy oils and greases. Very effective for some applications but tightly regulated due to environmental and worker-safety concerns.

Many production lines use a combination — for example, an aqueous spray washer for bulk cleaning followed by ultrasonic for critical precision cleaning.

Industrial parts washers are used across a wide range of sectors, including automotive, industrial components, agriculture, remanufacturing, aerospace, defense, electronics, heavy equipment, medical devices, and food processing. Any operation that produces parts requiring consistent cleanliness before downstream processing — surface treatment, assembly, packaging, or shipment — can benefit from an automated parts washer.

Choosing the Right Parts Washer

Our product line covers the full range of high-volume aqueous cleaning configurations:

  • Single-stage conveyor washers: wash or rinse only, used when full drying is not required or parts can flash dry.

  • Two-stage pass-through washers: typically wash and rinse, or wash and dry, for higher-quality results than single-stage.

  • Three-stage wash/rinse/dry washers: for parts that must be free of detergent residue, and fully dry before downstream operations. For parts that need a spot-free rinse, we normally add a short halo rinse zone that uses DI or RO water.

  • Rotary and carousel batch washers: ideal for hydraulic components and complex parts that need to be loaded onto fixtures and progress through wash, rinse, and dry stations.

  • Custom-engineered washers: fully custom designs for specialized applications such as ground cylinders, long hydraulic bores, gears, seed boxes or dunnage, or any unique geometry that standard machines cannot accommodate.

Choosing the right industrial parts washer is about matching the machine to your process, parts, footprint, and production goals. The key steps are:

  • Define your cleaning requirement: identify the contaminants to be removed and how you will measure whether a part meets your cleanliness standard.

  • Choose a cleaning method that matches your needs:

    • Light oils, dirt, machining or grinding debris — aqueous spray.

    • Heavy oils or grease — high-temperature aqueous or solvent-based washer.

    • Fine particles or blind holes — ultrasonic.

  • Evaluate part geometry: determine whether internal surfaces, blind holes, or complex shapes need to be cleaned, and whether your chosen system can reach them.

  • Size for part size and throughput: ensure the washer accommodates your full range of parts while meeting your production rate.

  • Match machine specifications to your needs: pump pressure, flow rate, part coverage, temperature, line speed, filtration, and dry time.

  • Address safety and environmental requirements: operator safety features, wastewater handling, vapor control, and any applicable regulations.

  • Plan for integration: factor in available footprint and the upstream and downstream steps in your production line, including loading and unloading automation.

  • Consider total cost of ownership: purchase price is only part of the picture. Energy consumption, maintenance downtime, and chemical life and disposal are often significant drivers over the life of the machine.

If you are unsure where to start, send us details of your part and process. We will recommend the right configuration — sometimes a modified standard machine, sometimes a fully custom design — based on your specific needs.

Conveyorized parts washers are sized along two main dimensions:

  • Tunnel width and height: set to accommodate the largest part that will pass through. Tunnel height should generally be at least 4 inches (100 mm) greater than the tallest part. Common conveyor widths include 4″, 8″, 12″, 16″, 24″, 30″, and 36″, though any width is possible.

  • Zone length: set by the contact time required for the detergent to remove contaminants effectively. Longer contact times or higher line speeds both increase zone length. Dry-zone length is calculated from the number of passes needed to fully dry the parts at the target line speed.

Conveyor selection depends on part geometry, weight, and how the part needs to be presented to the spray nozzles:

  • Stainless steel mesh belt: our standard configuration, typically 1″ x 1″ mesh. Works well for a wide range of parts.

  • Other mesh belts: alternative metal or plastic mesh patterns to suit specific part sizes or materials.

  • Powered roller conveyors: ideal for long parts such as tubes or extrusions, since the open space between rollers allows spray and air access from below.

  • Chain conveyors with fixtures: used when parts must be held in a specific orientation, indexed through the washer, or supported individually.

A conveyorized parts washer — sometimes called a pass-through washer — uses a continuously moving conveyor to transport parts through multiple cleaning stages such as wash, rinse, and dry. It is ideal for high-volume production environments because parts can be loaded onto the conveyor and removed clean and dry at the other end without manual handling between stages.

Design and fabrication times vary depending on the size and complexity of the project, but most washers are delivered within 4–8 months of order. We will provide a project-specific schedule during the quoting process.

Because every Inline washer is engineered to order, pricing depends on size, number of cleaning stages, throughput, materials of construction, and options such as mist collectors or exhaust fans, filtration, or automation integration. The fastest way to get accurate pricing is to share your part and process details with us — we’ll prepare a tailored quote and recommend the most cost-effective approach to meet your cleanliness and throughput requirements.

Operation, Maintenance, and Utilities

A regular preventative maintenance schedule typically includes:

  • Cleaning or replacing wash and rinse filters.

  • Checking and clearing spray nozzles.

  • Monitoring detergent concentration and pH.

  • Removing debris from wash zones and the sump.

  • Greasing bearings on the pumps, blower, and conveyor drive components.

  • Monitoring belt or chain tension.

  • Inspecting heaters, thermostats, and electrical connections.

Following a documented PM schedule keeps the washer running at peak performance and extends the life of consumables such as detergent, filters, and seals.

Yes — drying is a standard stage in most conveyorized parts washers. Drying is often the most challenging aspect of washer design when parts have complex geometries, blind holes, or run at high line speeds. Effective drying may combine high-velocity ambient air, heated air, and air-knife placement tailored to part orientation.

Oil skimming removes floating oils from the surface of the cleaning solution, which extends bath life and improves cleaning performance. Skimmers work best when the solution is not agitated — for example, during shift changes or overnight. The most common types are disc and belt skimmers that extend into the wash sump. Without skimming, oil accumulates in the bath and is redeposited onto parts, undermining cleanliness.

Efficiency is a core design principle of every Inline washer. Specifically:

  • Closed-loop wash systems recirculate and filter the cleaning solution, minimizing water and detergent consumption.

  • Electric immersion heaters deliver heat directly to the wash bath with minimal losses (gas-fired and steam heat options are also available).

  • Where appropriate, rinse water is cascaded back into the wash zone to further reduce fresh-water usage.

  • Insulated tanks, well-sealed enclosures, and efficient pump sizing reduce both heat loss and electrical demand.

These features lower operating cost over the life of the machine and reduce the wastewater burden on your facility.

Most industrial parts washers need:

  • Electrical power: typically 480V or 575V three-phase in North America, with amperage scaled to heater and motor loads. Other voltages are available for international installations.

  • Water supply: for initial fill and periodic top-off. RO or DI water may be required for the rinse stage if spot-free results are needed.

  • Compressed air: most of our washers do not require compressed air, but we do use it to automate loading and unloading, or for custom washers with moveable spray nozzles.

  • Drainage: a floor drain or holding tank for periodic bath dumps.

  • Exhaust ventilation: for steam and humid air management, often ducted to the building exhaust. If ductwork is not available we use a self-contained mist collector.

Specific requirements are confirmed during engineering and provided in the installation drawings.

Used wash and rinse solution is periodically dumped and replaced. Disposal options depend on your local regulations and the contamination in the bath:

  • Many aqueous detergents are drain-safe and can be discharged into sanitary sewer where local codes permit.

  • Solutions with heavy oil contamination usually require pre-treatment such as oil skimming, coalescing, or filtration before discharge.

  • Where on-site discharge is not allowed, used solution is collected for off-site disposal by a licensed waste handler.

We can recommend skimming, filtration, and oil-water separation equipment to extend bath life and minimize disposal volumes.

Detergent selection is a critical part of system performance, so we work with you to identify the right chemistry for your contaminants, substrate materials, and water quality. You can source detergent directly from a chemical supplier, and we can recommend trusted partners or perform cleaning trials at our facility to validate the chemistry before commissioning.

Our washers are designed for straightforward operation with PLC-based controls and clear HMI interfaces. On-site training is provided during commissioning and covers normal operation, daily checks, detergent management, and basic troubleshooting. We also provide written operation and maintenance manuals, and our service team is available for ongoing support.

Cleaning Specific Part Types

Stamped metal parts are typically cleaned in a conveyorized parts washer placed immediately after the stamping press exit conveyor. These washers are sized for high line speeds and are often built with heavy-duty frames and casters so they can be moved between presses as production schedules change.

Machined or ground parts are typically cleaned in a conveyorized parts washer positioned in the production line before downstream operations such as surface treatment, assembly, or packaging. Parts can be loaded and unloaded by conveyors, robots, pick-and-place units, or manually by operators, depending on volume and integration needs. For parts where the entire outside diameter must be cleaned and dried, we also build dedicated cylinder washers.

Long tubes and extrusions can be cleaned in conveyorized parts washers designed to handle varying lengths and cross-sections. Powered roller conveyors are often ideal for long parts because the open space between rollers gives spray and drying nozzles full access to the underside of the part. For long bores — such as hydraulic cylinders — we also build specialized washers that insert spray probes into the inside bore for thorough internal cleaning and drying.

Hydraulic components, gears, and parts with complex internal geometry often require more than a simple pass-through wash. Common approaches include:

  • Carousel or rotary batch washers that index parts through wash, rinse, and dry stations, with operators loading and unloading from the same position.

  • Indexing fixtures where probes rise from below to spray internal bores while side nozzles rotate 360 degrees around the part.

  • Dedicated dry-zone air knives that rotate around the part while a probe enters the bore to dry interior surfaces.

Each of these features is designed and built to order based on the specific part and cleanliness requirement.

Seed boxes and similar dunnage require specialized washers due to their geometry and the difficult contaminants common to outdoor and food-processing environments. High heat and 360-degree rotation are often required to remove stubborn buildup from all interior and exterior surfaces. We build custom washers specifically for these applications.

About Inline Cleaning Systems

Yes — Inline Cleaning Systems engineers every washer to order based on your specific product and process. We start from your part, contamination, cleanliness requirement, line speed, and upstream and downstream processes, and design a washer that fits your application exactly. Depending on the project, we may modify a proven standard design for a budget-friendly solution, or start with a clean sheet of paper for a fully custom machine.

  • We have designed and manufactured customized parts washers in the USA since 1980, with a team that includes deep experience in cleaning, material handling, robotics, and system integration.

  • Every washer is designed and built to order in-house at our Lafayette, Indiana facility, alongside our sister company EIS Machine.

  • We specialize in conveyor and pass-through washers, with a focus on high-volume aqueous cleaning.

  • Closed-loop systems, electric immersion heating, and rinse-water reuse make our washers efficient to operate over their full service life.

  • The same engineering and production team that designs your washer also handles installation, commissioning, and any future service — anywhere in the world.

We manufacture, ship, and install parts washers throughout North America, Central America, Europe, and Asia from our Lafayette, Indiana facility. Wherever your facility is located, our engineering and service team will support installation, commissioning, training, and ongoing service.

Every Inline Cleaning Systems washer is backed by a manufacturer warranty covering parts and workmanship. Beyond warranty, the same team that designed and built your washer handles installation, commissioning, operator training, and any future service visits — so you are never handed off to a contractor who doesn’t know your machine. Specific warranty terms are confirmed in your quotation.

Yes. We leverage our in-house machine shop and purchasing department to ensure an exact replacement for any spare-parts need. Because we maintain original drawings and specifications for every washer we have shipped, we can supply replacement parts even for older machines, and our installed base spans decades of Inline-built equipment.

In many cases, yes. If you are evaluating whether to upgrade or replace, our engineering team can assess your existing machine and recommend the most cost-effective path forward.

Reach out through our website contact form or call us directly at 877-465-4635. To prepare a detailed quote, we will ask for information about your parts (dimensions, weight, material, geometry), contaminants, cleanliness requirements, target throughput, available footprint, and upstream and downstream processes. Sample parts are welcome and often help us validate the recommended approach with cleaning trials before final design.