Treatment equipment and furnaces
How Candojet HW211 became a game changer in one German wire producer's line
A German wire producer is expanding its fleet of Candojet HW211 units with yet another installation, bringing the number of these hot water cleaning systems running in its factory to around ten. Each one plays a role in ensuring top-quality wire cleaning, and to achieve the absolute best results, the customer has even chosen to install Candojet units prior to machines from other manufacturers, further enhancing the cleaning process exactly where it is needed most.
Announcing the installation, Candor commented: "A big thank you to our customer for your continued trust in Candor's solutions. We also want to thank our amazing technical and production teams, it's your hard work and expertise that makes these long-term customer partnerships possible!"
How does Candojet HW work?
The Candojet system has been one of Candor's most successful products. It can be used either as a stand-alone unit for wire cleaning after drawing, or in-line with other processes — such as copper plating of welding wire or silver plating.
The underlying principle is simple: Candojet HW removes lubricants from the wire surface using hot water at up to 90°C, without using any aggressive chemicals, and it works well with different wire diameters and materials. The system is built entirely of stainless steel, and the tanks are well insulated to save energy.
The cleaning liquid is pumped to the cells at a high flow rate and relatively high pressure, and each storage tank is fitted with electrical immersion heaters, a thermostat and a level guard. After each treatment step, the wire is wiped off with compressed air, and the liquid flows back to the tank. Fresh water is fed to the last tank and used in counter-flow, to save water and energy.
The foam or sludge created by lubricant residue is continuously removed by a standard automatic skimmer.
Candojet HW211, HW2 and HW211US: wire cleaning configurations explained
The Candojet system comes in three different configurations:
- HW211 is the standard version, designed to deliver excellent cleaning results. It is divided into three sections: pre-cleaning, with one pump feeding two cleaning cells, followed by two rinsing sections, each served by its own pump feeding one cleaning cell.
- HW2 is a shortened, more compact version designed for when space is limited, equipped with one pump feeding two Candojet cells.
- HW211US is an extended configuration, adding an ultrasonic cleaning section for particularly demanding applications.
Candor can also configure the system for shaped or rolled wires, or for strips as required.
In-line wire cleaning ahead of drawing, spooling and plating
Candojet HW is normally placed in line with other production equipment — for example in-line with a drawing machine, between the last block and the spooler, or as pre-cleaning prior to a plating operation.
On the technical side, the system handles wire diameters from 0.2 to 6.0 mm at speeds of up to 25 m/s, removing sodium and calcium soap, emulsion and oil residues, with a working temperature below 85°C, water consumption of 50 to 100 liters per hour, and a compressed air requirement below 6 bar.
Next step: mechanical cleaning for calcium-based lubricants
Candor is also working on a development project to integrate mechanical cleaning inside the machine, to help remove tougher calcium-based drawing lubricants. More information will be released later down the line this year, once the prototype is tested in real production conditions.
For Candor, expansions like this one are all part of the same goal: ultimate wire cleaning, wherever in the line it matters most.
