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Enclosed parts cleaning system with the chamber open: inside, a cylinder head sits on the rotating workpiece fixture, on the right an orange articulated robot reaches into the cell, on the left the operating panel

The cleaning process is fast enough. The loading and unloading is not.

Rotary Indexing Cleaning Systems

At short cycles it becomes apparent how much time passes outside the process: inserting, clamping, removing. As long as the system stands still for that, each of these movements lengthens the cycle — even though no cleaning takes place during it.
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What it is built for

A question of simultaneity, not of cleaning performance

Setup and cleaning can only run in parallel if the process is broken down into fixed stations. That requires a defined production process with a constant process sequence; if the sequence changes, the principle does not hold. From that follows the rotary indexing cleaning system: the parts pass through the multi-stage process on a rotary platform — loading and unloading take place at a single position.

  • Short cycle times

    The actual lever of this machine type.

  • Defined production process

    With a constant process sequence.

  • Reduced auxiliary times

    Through parallel loading and unloading.

While cleaning, rinsing and drying take place at the stations, you are already setting up the next part at the loading and unloading position. The setup time no longer runs along in the cycle — it disappears from it. Because loading and unloading take place at the same point, the rotary indexing cleaning system is particularly well suited to robot loading: the robot approaches only one position, not two.

Technical terms in the glossary

Typical workpieces

Series parts with a constant process sequence

Aluminum die-cast parts and steel parts in series, with a constant process sequence. Typical contamination: oil, emulsion, chips, dust.

Configuration and operating principle

Several process stations on one rotary platform

The workpiece is transported from station to station by rotary indexing. Depending on the system design, supplemented by further steps, second rinsing or drying, air blow-off, vacuum drying or cascade rinsing systems.
  1. 01LoadingAt a single position.
  2. 02CleaningDesigned in several stages.
  3. 03RinsingMedia maintenance integrated.
  4. 04DryingVacuum drying, cold or hot air.
  5. 05UnloadingAt the same position as loading.
  6. 06Second rinsing or dryingje nach AuslegungDepending on the requirement.
  7. 07Air blow-off or vacuum dryingje nach AuslegungFor high drying requirements.

The processes are designed in several stages, media maintenance is integrated, the system works largely without exhaust air.

Two points you should know about this machine type: the number of stations is fixed by the design — the process sequence cannot be extended at will later. And the slowest station sets the cycle of all the others. That is exactly why the division of the process steps is the decisive point of the system design here.

Designed for high positioning accuracy, compact build with a small footprint, low water consumption and twist-proof quick-release couplings.

Robot cell behind a safety fence: on the right an articulated robot, behind it workpiece fixtures, hose packages and energy chains
The stations of a rotary indexing cleaning system from the inside: workpiece fixtures, media supply and energy chains behind the safety fence.
Enclosed system in a production hall: on the left a yellow articulated robot in front of the open loading hatch, in front of it an aluminum housing on the part feeding, on the right the operating panel with signal tower and the material flow and conveying of the adjoining line
The same machine type from the outside: the robot loads and unloads at a single position — the system does not stand still for that, it keeps indexing.
Yellow articulated robot with a gripper in front of the open loading hatch of an enclosed parts cleaning system, to its right a cast component on the tray of the part feeding
The transfer up close. How the component is gripped and set down is part of the system design — not of the periphery.

Optional subassemblies

  • 01

    Drying

    Vacuum drying, cold or hot air.
  • 02

    Water treatment system

  • 03

    Automation and material flow and conveying

Not to be confused

Rotary indexing cleaning ≠ rotary indexing deburring

In-house, two different kinds of system are called “RT” — both work by rotary indexing, but the processing is a different one. If your actual task is deburring and not cleaning, the way leads to the rotary indexing deburring cell — not here.

Rotary indexing cleaning systemRT

Processing
Cleaning
Process principle
The workpiece moves from station to station

Rotary indexing water jet deburring systemRT

Processing
Water jet deburring
Process principle
The workpiece remains in a closed processing chamber, the robot works inside the robot cell
Both kinds of system use the rotary indexing principle, the processing differs fundamentally — which is why “RT” is never used unqualified here.
High-Precision Water Jet Deburring

What we design for you

There is no standard rotary indexing cleaning system

What we clarify before design engineering — only once that is settled do we decide on the method, filtration technology, drying and water treatment.

  • Your component

    Geometry, complexity, size, blind holes and through-holes, material.

  • The contamination

    Type, amount, required residual contamination values.

  • Your production

    Cycle time, number of stations and method per station, loading and unloading concept, degree of automation, drying.

  • Water and media

    Chemistry specifications, passivation, water quality, treatment, circuits.

Automation

Built for robot loading and unloading

Robot, gripper, workpiece fixture, control system and safety technology come with the system — process and automation from a single source, one contact for both.
Enclosed system in a production hall: on the left a yellow articulated robot in front of the open loading hatch, in front of it an aluminum housing on the part feeding, on the right the operating panel with signal tower and the material flow and conveying of the adjoining line
Loading at a single position: the robot takes over from the transfer belt and inserts into the same opening from which it removes.
The same movement in the system design: calculated from the design geometry before the cell is built — that is how it is checked whether grip, swivel path and loading position fit together.27 seconds
Automation & Robotics

When another machine type is the better fit

The machine type is the result of the system design

  • 01

    Continuous cleaning system

    When the cleaning is integrated into a production line and the parts are meant to pass through, or when many process steps are needed. There the number of zones can be chosen more freely.
  • 02

    Chamber cleaning system

    When your range of parts changes frequently or longer cycle times are permissible.
  • 03

    Immersion cleaning system

    When the component has to be fully immersed.
  • 04

    Water jet deburring

    When burrs additionally have to be removed.
Continuous Cleaning SystemsChamber Cleaning SystemsImmersion Cleaning SystemsWater Jet Deburring

Scope of supply

Vertical integration and digital system lifecycle

Vertical integrationDigital system lifecycle

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about the rotary indexing cleaning system

What is a rotary indexing cleaning system?

A system in which the workpiece moves in cycles from process station to process station. Its argument is the cycle with a defined production process: loading and unloading run in parallel with processing, the auxiliary time drops out of the cycle. That pays off when setup and clamping time are considerable in relation to the processing time.

Continuous flow or rotary indexing — what is the difference?

Both achieve short cycles, but for different reasons. The continuous-flow principle gains time through the continuous flow; which components can run over it together is fixed at the system planning stage — several variants are possible depending on the system design. The rotary indexing principle gains it by running loading and unloading in parallel with processing. Anyone who constantly changes their range of parts gets further with rotary indexing; anyone who runs a line in cycles, with continuous flow.

Applications

Components on which this system design is decided

8 worked-out tasks name the rotary indexing cleaning system as a possible concept. What tips the balance in each of them is on its own page.

Each case sets out the design factors, the possible system concepts and the methods in detail — here you only find what it is about.

Cylinder head

The spray jet hits what it sees — and what it does not see only becomes visible in the residual contamination verification.

Gearbox housing

Internal channels and bore intersections decide the method on the gearbox housing: spraying creates a spray shadow, not every surface can be reached. The more complex the geometry, the sooner immersion and flooding come into question instead of spraying.

Hydraulic manifold

A hydraulic manifold is not only installed, it carries flow — what stays in the channel stays in the system.

Valve block

Blind holes and branching channels are exactly the places a spray jet does not reach: it hits what it sees.

Also with a rotary indexing cleaning system as a possible concept: CrankshaftHigh technical cleanlinessMultiple part variantsMulti-stage cleaning process

None of these cases inevitably leads to the rotary indexing cleaning system. Which concept it becomes arises from the interplay of the design factors — the machine type is the result of the system design, not its starting point.

All applications

Direct contact

AddressITR GmbH powered by Zippel
Hauptstraße 31
93186 Pettendorf
Pettendorf bei Regensburg
Phone+49 (0) 9409-777 3598
Fax +49 (0) 9409-777 3607
Emailinfo@itr-anlagenbau.com