Virgilio Perez Guembe
Salesregion: South & Middle America, Europe, Asia
MAXICLEAN: Pyrolysis furnace for the controlled removal of plastic from metal parts
Thermal cleaning of tools and metal parts with halogen-free plastic and polymer residues—using reliable pyrolysis and temperature profiles tailored to specific plastics.
MAXICLEAN is the SCHWING pyrolysis oven system for large components, tools, and metal parts with halogen-free plastic, polymer, or organic residues. The system utilizes the classic principle of pyrolysis but is operated with temperature profiles specifically tailored to plastics and polymers.
MAXICLEAN is therefore not just a simple burn-off furnace, but an industrial pyrolysis system designed for reproducible, controlled, and application-specific thermal cleaning.
MAXICLEAN at a Glance
Characteristic | Classification |
|---|---|
System | MAXICLEAN |
System Type | Pyrolysis furnace for plastic-specific thermal cleaning |
Manufacturer | SCHWING Technologies GmbH (Neukirchen-Vluyn, Germany) |
Process | Pyrolysis, oxidation, thermal after-combustion |
Cleaning Objective | Removal of halogen-free plastic, polymer, and organic residues |
Process Expertise | Temperature profiles, process duration, and system control are tailored to the decomposition behavior of plastics and polymers |
Typical Components | Large molds, heavy components, filter bundles, large hot runners, melt conduits, extruder screws, special geometries |
Particularly relevant for | large dimensions, heavy components, bulky geometries, robust molds |
Cleaning time | typically 4–8 hours, depending on the component, polymer, and amount of residue |
Heating principle | externally gas-heated cleaning chamber |
Process control | automatic process control |
Exhaust air treatment | separate thermal afterburner, above 800 °C |
Operation | wastewater-free |
Important limitation | Not suitable for halogenated additives or halogen-containing plastics |
Typical Applications and Components
MAXICLEAN is used for cleaning tasks involving large metal parts, tools, or components that need to be cleaned of halogen-free plastic, polymer, paint, resin, or organic residues through controlled pyrolysis. MAXICLEAN is particularly well-suited for large components, heavy components, large amounts of residue, or robust tool geometries.
Industry / Process | Typical Components | Classification for MAXICLEAN |
|---|---|---|
Polymer Filtration / Melt Filtration | Filter bundles, large filter units | Particularly recommended for large filter bundles and components with high residue levels, provided that the post-treatment and cleaning objectives align with the pyrolysis process. |
Extrusion and Compounding | Extruder screws, large extruder dies, screw housings, special dies | Suitable for large, robust extrusion components where a controlled oven process is economically and technically feasible. |
Granulation | Large granulation discs, granulation dies, solid die components | Particularly relevant for large granulation dies that are thermally cleaned and subsequently post-treated as needed. |
Injection Molding / Mold Technology | Large hot runner manifolds, solid hot runner components, mold bases | Suitable for large and thermally resilient mold components when the geometry, material, and cleaning objective permit pyrolysis cleaning. |
Coating Removal / Paint Stripping | Painting racks, hooks, frames, metal carriers, coated components | Suitable for robust metal parts with organic coatings, paints, or resins, provided the component and coating are suitable for thermal removal. |
Maintenance / Special Components | Large production aids, special geometries, solid metal components | For project-specific cleaning tasks in which component size, loading, temperature profile, post-combustion, and post-treatment are individually assessed. |
The MAXICLEAN Process
1. Loading the cleaning chamber
The metal parts to be cleaned are loaded into the MAXICLEAN cleaning chamber. The loading concept is tailored to the parts' size, weight, batch logic, and handling requirements.
2. Thermal decomposition with a specific temperature profile
Plastic, polymer, paint, resin, or organic residues are thermally decomposed using a temperature profile specifically tailored to the adhesion of the polymer.
3. Process Control
The cleaning process is carried out in a controlled manner. The goal is to achieve reproducible removal of organic residues with an appropriate process duration and defined plant operation.
4. Thermal afterburning
The resulting smoldering gases are treated via thermal afterburning. This is a key feature of the MAXICLEAN process.
5. Follow-up Care
Inorganic residues, pigments, fillers, or ash may remain after pyrolysis and are subjected to post-treatment depending on the component and the cleaning objective.
Benefits of MAXICLEAN Technology
Plastics-Specific Temperature Profiles
MAXICLEAN performs pyrolysis using temperature profiles tailored to the decomposition behavior of plastics and polymers.
Controlled Removal of Plastic
Halogen-free plastic, polymer, paint, resin, and organic residues are thermally decomposed through controlled heat application.
Reproducible Process
MAXICLEAN replaces manual burning with a defined, controllable, and repeatable cleaning process.
Thermal Afterburning
The smoldering gases produced during pyrolysis undergo thermal post-treatment during the purification process.
Wastewater-Free Operation
The process operates without contaminated process wastewater; inorganic residues are treated further as needed.
Custom Design
The system, chamber size, loading, process control, and site integration are designed on a project-by-project basis.
From the Cleaning Task to the Right MAXICLEAN System
Before designing a MAXICLEAN system, the specific cleaning task is evaluated from a technical perspective. The goal is not to select a furnace model across the board, but to determine whether the MAXICLEAN process is suitable for the component, the residue, and the cleaning objective.
1. Record the component and the remaining quantity
Relevant data includes component type, component material, geometry, weight, type of residue, amount of residue, polymer or coating, additives, and the cleaning method used to date.
2. Check suitability for pyrolysis
SCHWING evaluates whether residues can be removed in a controlled manner using conventional pyrolysis with temperature profiles specific to the plastic. Key factors include decomposition behavior, gas evolution, component mass, temperature tolerance, and the cleaning objective.
3. Classify the test cleaning or trial
For new, critical, or high-value components, a test cleaning can demonstrate how the component and residues behave during the pyrolysis process. The evaluation focuses on cleaning results, process duration, remaining residues, and any necessary post-treatment.
4. Determine system and process parameters
Based on the technical evaluation, the chamber size, loading concept, temperature profile, process duration, post-combustion, exhaust air routing, aftertreatment, and site integration are determined.
5. Derive the investment solution
The result is an application-specific MAXICLEAN system solution. It is based on the component, residue, process profile, post-treatment, exhaust air requirements, and operational conditions.
What is MAXICLEAN?
MAXICLEAN is the SCHWING pyrolysis oven system for large components, tools, and metal parts with halogen-free plastic, polymer, or organic residues. The system uses conventional pyrolysis but operates with temperature profiles specifically tailored to plastics and polymers.
How does MAXICLEAN differ from a simple burn-off oven?
MAXICLEAN is not a simple burn-off oven. The key difference lies in the controlled process management: temperature profiles, process duration, post-combustion, loading, and post-treatment are tailored to the specific plastic, polymer, component, and cleaning objective.
What components are typically cleaned with MAXICLEAN?
Typical applications include large molds, heavy metal parts, coated components, paint racks, hooks, frames, molds, carriers, extrusion parts, and other large components with halogen-free plastic, paint, resin, or organic residues.
What types of residues can be removed with MAXICLEAN?
MAXICLEAN is designed for halogen-free plastic, polymer, paint, resin, and organic residues. The decisive factors are the type of residue, additives, amount of residue, part geometry, part material, and desired cleaning result.
Is MAXICLEAN suitable for halogen-containing plastics?
MAXICLEAN is not designed for halogen-containing plastics or halogenated additives. These include, in particular, PVC, PVDF, PTFE, and similar residues. For such applications, SCHWING is evaluating other thermal cleaning methods.
What is evaluated before designing a MAXICLEAN system?
Before designing a system, SCHWING evaluates the component, material, geometry, weight, type of residue, amount of residue, temperature behavior, smoke gas generation, post-treatment, loading concept, site conditions, and desired cleaning result. For new or critical applications, a test cleaning may be advisable.
When is a thermal cleaning process other than MAXICLEAN a good choice?
VACUCLEAN is particularly suitable for sensitive or complex components. INNOVACLEAN is suitable for small to medium-sized components and is also relevant for halogen-containing polymers. The specific system selection depends on the component, geometry, residue, and cleaning objective.
Have your cleaning task reviewed by a technician
Whether you need a cleaning service, a trial cleaning, or your own system:
SCHWING can help you select the right thermal cleaning process for your components, polymers, and production requirements.