The next machining step starts on a component that still has chips hanging on it.
CABS — Pre-Cleaning at the Machine Tool
Between two machining processes, loose chips and superficial contamination disturb the next clamping setup, a measurement or an assembly — long before a residual contamination value would have to be verified. What is needed is not a full cleaning process but a step that fits into the machining sequence without interrupting it.
The principle
Compressed air and water mist instead of a bath
The water mist loosens loose contamination, the compressed air carries chips and particles out — and the extraction catches both in the same moment, together with the aerosols.
That is the difference from the compressed air gun at the workstation: the dirt does not go into the surroundings but into the dirt tank.
What it is built for
A cost-effective pre-cleaning for intermediate cleaning
For intermediate cleaning within your machining chain, where loose chips and superficial contamination would disturb the next step.
- 01
Removal of loose chips
- 02
Removal of superficial contamination
- 03
Preparation for the following process step
The goal is a clean, dry component for the next manufacturing step — not the verification of technical cleanliness.
What it does not do as standard
No complete oil removal and no complete removal of cooling lubricant. Where more is required, there are options — and beyond a certain point the right answer: an aqueous parts cleaning system.
The CABS — Circuit Air Blow System — is a maintenance-friendly single-chamber system for use directly in production. It is designed to be compact and independent of location, so it stands where it is needed — at the machine, not in the cleaning department.
Typical workpieces
Components in ongoing machining
Typical contamination: loose chips, superficial dirt and adhering cooling lubricant.
The configuration of the standard system is designed for the following working area:
- 01
Max. width
300 mm - 02
Max. depth
300 mm - 03
Max. height
200 mm - 04
Max. weight
20 kg
Design and operation
Loosen, carry out, extract — at the same time
Air alone does not loosen, water alone does not carry out. And because extraction runs while blowing, the dirt stays in the system instead of on the shop floor.
- 01LoosenWater mist loosens loose contamination from the component.
- 02Carry outCompressed air removes chips and particles; an adjustable air knife guides the jet.
- 03ExtractChips and aerosols are extracted immediately and collected in the mist and dirt tank.
The assemblies
- 01
Adjustable air knife
The air guidance is adjusted to the component, not the component to the system. - 02
Pneumatic linear system
Executes the movement between component and air knife. - 03
Side channel blower, 3 kW
Generates air flow and extraction. - 04
Filter unit
Separates solids and liquid from the extracted air.
Modular expandability
A basic system that is supplemented according to the task
- 01
Individual workpiece fixtures
The fixture decides whether the air reaches everywhere. In every cleaning task it is a design point of its own, not an accessory. - 02
Special nozzle systems
Where an air knife alone does not reach the geometry. - 03
Oil separator
When more oil is to come out of the process than the basic version carries out. - 04
Extensions for stronger oil reduction
The stage between pre-cleaning and an aqueous system. - 05
Liquid cleaning
A wet cleaning step can be integrated into the system when loosening and air blow-off alone are not enough. - 06
Automatic loading and unloading
Connection to your manufacturing chain.
What we design for you
With the CABS, too, there is no assignment “component X → configuration Y”
What is clarified before design engineering:
Your component
Geometry, accessibility, position of bores and pockets, weight, dimensions.The contamination
Chip size and type, amount of adhering cooling lubricant, which result the next process step demands.Your production
Cycle time, production volume, space at the machine tool, manual or automatic loading.The fixture
How the component stands so that air and extraction can take effect.
Automation
Automatic loading and unloading is a documented extension
The CABS is intended for integration into a machining chain. Material flow and conveying, transfer and cycle coordination are planned with it.
Where the limits are
The CABS is a pre-cleaning — not a substitute for industrial precision cleaning
It removes loose chips and superficial contamination. As standard it does not provide complete removal of oil or cooling lubricant and does not deliver component cleanliness verified by residual contamination analysis.
For stronger oil reduction there is the oil separator and further extensions. Where technical cleanliness has to be verified, the path leads to the aqueous system.
- 01
Chamber cleaning system
With changing components in batch operation. - 02
Continuous cleaning system
With high production volumes in the line. - 03
Rotary indexing cleaning system
With a defined production process and short cycles. - 04
Immersion cleaning system
When the process medium has to reach every area reliably.
Chamber Cleaning SystemsContinuous Cleaning SystemsRotary Indexing Cleaning SystemsImmersion Cleaning Systems
And the other way round: where an aqueous system stands, the CABS does not replace it — it relieves it, because the coarse share of chips never gets into the bath in the first place.
Scope of supply
Vertical integration and digital lifecycle
Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions about the Air-Blow System
What is a CABS Air-Blow System?
CABS stands for Circuit Air Blow System — a pre-cleaning directly at the machine tool. Water mist loosens loose contamination, compressed air carries chips and particles out, and the extraction catches both in the same moment — aerosols included. The difference from the compressed air gun: the dirt does not go onto the shop floor but into the dirt tank.
Does a CABS replace a parts cleaning system?
No. The CABS is a pre-cleaning, not a substitute for industrial precision cleaning. It is intended for intermediate cleaning within the machining chain — where loose chips and superficial contamination would disturb the next step. Where technical cleanliness has to be verified, the path leads to the aqueous system. Conversely, the CABS does not replace an existing aqueous system, it relieves it: the coarse share of chips never gets into the bath in the first place.
Does a CABS remove oil and cooling lubricant?
Not completely. As standard the system does not provide complete removal of oil or cooling lubricant. For stronger oil reduction there are options — an oil separator and further extensions as the stage between pre-cleaning and an aqueous system. Beyond a certain point, however, the right answer is an aqueous parts cleaning system.
Does a CABS deliver a residual contamination verification?
No. The goal is a clean, dry component for the next manufacturing step — not the verification of technical cleanliness. The system does not deliver component cleanliness verified by residual contamination analysis. It comes in where loose chips disturb the next clamping setup, a measurement or an assembly, long before a residual contamination value would have to be verified.
Which part sizes does a CABS accommodate?
The configuration of the standard system is designed for a working area of 300 mm width, 300 mm depth and 200 mm height at a maximum part weight of 20 kg. Deviating sizes are a question of system design, not a catalog question.
Direct contact
AddressITR GmbH powered by Zippel
Hauptstraße 31
93186 Pettendorf
Pettendorf bei Regensburg
Hauptstraße 31
93186 Pettendorf
Pettendorf bei Regensburg
Phone+49 (0) 9409-777 3598
Fax +49 (0) 9409-777 3607
Fax +49 (0) 9409-777 3607