Even the smallest particles of dirt can cause damage to hydraulic components if, for example, they cause valve blockage. HANSA-FLEX has therefore expanded its service portfolio to include a laboratory for testing technical cleanliness. In this way HANSA-FLEX documents, on the one hand, compliance with the guidelines and customer requirements with regard to cleanliness.

In the room, which is classified as a clean room in accordance with Volume 19 of German Automobile Association (VDA) guidelines and ISO 16232, HANSA-FLEX provides comprehensive technical cleanliness checks for hoses, pipes and other hydraulic components. For the cleanliness analysis, particles are extracted by rinsing or spraying the components.

For this purpose an extraction unit with which both extraction processes can be carried out is applied. The extracted liquid is separated by an analytical filter. This filter is then dried in a drying oven and desiccator (chemical drying) and a photo-optical analysis (microscope) is performed. In this way the number, size and differentiation of the dirt particles (metallic gloss, non-metallic, fibres) can be determined. In addition to the so-called “photo-optical standard analysis”, HANSA-FLEX also caries out a gravimetric analysis in which the total particle load is determined  by weighing the analytical filters before and after extraction. For this purpose a precision balance with a minimum resolution of 0.1 mg is used. After the examination the customer receives a detailed report which is standardised in accordance with VDA Volume 19.

To prevent dirt particles from entering the room from the outside, there is always overpressure in the clean room. In addition, a personnel and material airlock is installed to prevent contamination by foreign particles. Powerful ventilation and fine dust filter equipment also ensure that coarse particles are filtered out of the ambient air.