What liquid is used for spray degreasing?
- florile
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Summary
What is degreasing and why is it important?
Spray degreasing
Degreasing is a key step in metal pretreatment: it removes oils, greases, dust, and other contaminants that can compromise subsequent treatments such as painting, galvanizing, or welding. Spray degreasing, in particular, uses high-pressure nozzles to project solvents or detergents onto the surfaces to be cleaned, quickly removing stubborn residues even from large or complex-shaped parts. Compared to immersion, spray cleaning is generally faster and can be easily integrated into automated production lines.
The advantages
The main features and advantages of spray degreasing are:
High cleaning speed: high-pressure jets rapidly break down grease and oils, reducing cycle times compared to immersion baths.
Suitable for complex parts: liquid jets penetrate hard-to-reach areas, ensuring uniform cleaning action even on intricate geometries.
Flexible use: it can be used with washing tunnels, manual spray guns, or conveyor booths, allowing for targeted or continuous treatment (e.g., conveyor belts or tunnel washers).
Process control: by adjusting the temperature, pressure, and concentration of the liquid, you can achieve the right balance between effectiveness and energy savings. For example, FIPROKIM's advanced formulas reduce water and solvent consumption while maintaining high cleaning performance.
How to choose the right spray degreasing liquid
What liquid is used for spray degreasing?
The choice of detergent depends on various chemical and technological factors. First, consider the material and contaminant: different metals and dirt require different solutions. For example, highly alkaline additives effective on steel can damage aluminum or light alloys. Similarly, light oils and heavy greases require formulations with different degreasing power. Other critical aspects include:
Type of metal
Steel, aluminum, brass, copper, and plastic react differently to detergents. It's essential to use compatible products: FIPROKIM, for example, offers multi-metal lines for stainless steel, aluminum, and light alloys, as well as specific formulas (including caustic-free formulas) for more delicate surfaces.
Nature of the contaminant
Mineral oils, emulsions, solid fats, or processing pastes require different surfactants and solvents. Modern products contain blends of surfactants, sequestrants, and solvents (or cosolvents) designed to work both in spray and immersion applications.
Application technology
If degreasing is performed by spraying, a ready-to-use liquid (aqueous suspension) with controlled foam is preferable, ensuring immediate cleaning power when passing under the nozzles. For tunnel or gun cleaning, typical concentrations (e.g., 30–80 g/L) and temperatures of 40–80 °C are used to optimize results. FIPROKIM provides process recommendations: for its SG 598 degreaser, for example, 20–50 g/L at 60–80 °C with short times (1–3 minutes) is recommended.
Safety and environmental impact
Today, companies are focusing on detergents with low VOC (volatile organic compounds) content and free of heavy metals. FIPROKIM formulations are also designed to reduce operator risks and facilitate disposal (e.g., SG 575 with a moderate pH, antioxidants, and good rinsing properties).
FIPROKIM products for spray degreasing
The FIPRO SG line
FIPROKIM offers a complete range of liquid degreasers specifically for spraying metal surfaces.
Fiprokim's spray degreasers are formulated and produced in-house at its Altavilla Vicentina plant, using select raw materials and rigorous quality controls. This ensures reliable performance and long-lasting cleaning baths. For each system and specific application, the FIPROKIM technical team is available to define the right mix, schedule additions, and conduct periodic checks to maintain high degreasing effectiveness with low operating costs.
These are the main products of the FIPRO SG line:
FIPRO SG 575 alkaline multimetal degreaser
FIPRO SG 575 is a highly alkaline liquid with modern surfactants, designed for spray washers and tunnel washers. It effectively removes neat and emulsifiable oils, heavy greases, and machining pastes from stainless steel and carbon steel. It is characterized by high cleaning power even at low concentrations and excellent rinsing. Thanks to specific anti-corrosion inhibitors, it can be used in pre-phosphating without leaving alkaline residues, preparing the part for subsequent phases. The typical expected use is approximately 30–80 g/L at 50–60 °C. It is a versatile product suitable for heavy-duty industrial environments, where a deep cleaning action is required.
FIPRO SG 598 alkaline degreaser for steel
FIPRO SG 598 is an alkaline liquid degreaser optimized for steel and galvanized steel. Its potassium-based formula, with anti-scale and inhibitors, allows for the degreasing of steel sheets before phosphating (even with nanotechnological pre-conversion processes) while maintaining a stable bath. It can be used by spraying or in an electrolytic bath, typically using 20–50 g/L of product at 60–80 °C with short cycles (1–3 min). It is suitable for integrated systems (tunnels, cleaning jets, etc.) and guarantees excellent cleaning without corrosive attack on the alloys involved. In case of heavy contamination, its alkaline action is able to lift carbon encrustations and protect the system from rust deposits.
FIPRO SG 596 caustic degreaser specifically for steel
FIPRO SG 596 is a highly caustic degreaser designed for pre-treatment cycles on ferrous steels. Thanks to caustic soda and anti-scaling additives, it removes whole oils, greases, and especially stearate residues used in locking and galvanizing processes. As the manufacturer describes, it is highly effective on difficult organic contaminants and acts as a natural defoamer. It is diluted in water and applied by spray or immersion (typically 20–80 g/L at 60–70 °C), keeping the bath active with periodic top-ups. Caution: it should not be used on galvanized steels, aluminum, or light alloys, to avoid corrosion on sensitive metals. It is ideal for large-volume industrial plants where deep cleaning action on conventional steels is required.
FIPRO SG 555 and FIPRO SG 1012 degreasers for non-ferrous metals
The SG line also includes formulations for light metals. FIPRO SG 555 is a slightly alkaline, amine-based liquid degreaser, excellent for removing oils and emulsifiables from brass, bronze, and multi-metal components in general. Its gentle yet effective action is particularly suitable for cycles involving yellow alloy and bronze. For painted or treated aluminum, FIPRO offers SG 1012: a detergent based on surfactants (including some glyceryl) activated with amines and special soaps. SG 1012 is designed to remove emulsifiable oils from painted aluminum (such as pump shells) and also acts as a sanitizing de-emulsifier. It can be used in single or multi-stage washing machines, even without the need for a final rinse, saving time on delicate parts or those treated with particular paints.
FIPROSTEEL 785 pickling degreaser for stainless steel
In the FIPROSTEEL line – dedicated to stainless steel treatments – FIPROSTEEL 785 is a pickling agent (based on inhibited sulfuric acid) with a degreasing action. Although typically used to remove welding oxides or for pickling, 785 also proves effective for degreasing: it removes neat and emulsifiable oils from pressed stainless steel bars and sheets before final processing. Its inhibited formulation ensures that the metal is not attacked, allowing for optimal surface protection. FIPROSTEEL 785 is therefore ideal when, after alkaline cleaning, a mild acid treatment is required on the production line of stainless steel (e.g., bottles, valves, sanitary components).
