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2025
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AE Low-Temperature CO₂ Cleaning Technology
The transformation of the automotive industry towards lightweighting and electrification has driven a profound transformation in the material systems of vehicle components. Advanced materials, represented by Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites (CFRP), engineering plastics (PP), and Sheet Molding Compound (SMC), are being applied with increasing prevalence. However, the unique surface characteristics of these new materials pose significant challenges to the pre-painting surface treatment process. The traditional wet chemical cleaning process, with its complex procedures, high resource consumption, and inherent environmental limitations, is no longer fully adequate to meet the manufacturing demands of this new era.
Facing this challenge, AE Corp. has introduced low-temperature CO₂ cleaning technology and developed corresponding system solutions. This approach fundamentally addresses the pain points of traditional processes, achieving simplification of the process flow, reduction of operational costs, and improvement of coating quality through a dry, non-destructive, and environmentally friendly method.
01 Brief Introduction to the Technical Principle
The core principle of AE Low-Temperature CO₂ Cleaning Technology is the use of compressed air to accelerate dry ice (solid CO₂) particles and project them onto the component's surface. During this process, the synergistic effect of high-velocity kinetic impact and low-temperature thermal shock causes contaminants to become brittle and loosen. Most critically, the dry ice (CO₂) particles sublimate instantly upon impact, expanding in volume by nearly 800 times. This creates a powerful stripping force that removes contaminants from the surface without causing damage to the substrate. This cleaning technology can also exert a micro-solvency action similar to that of a solvent for different types of contaminants, all while generating no secondary waste.
02 Two Process Solutions for On-Demand Configuration
To precisely match the process requirements of different components, AE Low-Temperature CO₂ Cleaning Technology platform offers two professional configurations that can be customized on demand:
◐ CO₂ Pellet Blasting Technology
This method uses pre-fabricated, high-density CO₂ (dry ice) pellets to deliver a strong impact force, making it suitable for aggressive decontamination and mold cleaning.
◐ CO₂ Snow Cleaning Technology
This method generates micron-sized CO₂ snow particles in-situ. The process is extremely gentle, making it the ideal choice for cleaning high-value, highly sensitive surfaces.
03 Comparison of Process Advantages
Compared to the traditional multi-stage water-wash process, AE Low-Temperature CO₂ Cleaning Technology demonstrates significant engineering and economic benefits.
◐ Fundamental Simplification of the Process Flow
CO₂ cleaning is a single-stage dry process that completely eliminates the lengthy steps of a traditional water-wash process, such as degreasing, multiple rinses, drying, and cooling. This simplification drastically shortens the component pre-treatment workflow, which in turnsignificantly reduces production cycle time and substantially reduces the physical footprint of the production line.
◐ Significant Operational Cost Advantages
This CO₂ cleaning technology completely eliminates the consumption of water resources and chemical agents, as well as the costs associated with wastewater treatment, reducing post-treatment costs to zero. Its long-term operational benefits are exceptional, and the advantages in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) are significant.
◐ Excellent Material Compatibility and Coating Quality
AE Low-Temperature CO₂ Cleaning Technology is perfectly compatible with a diverse range of lightweight materials. Test results indicate that this technology fully meets the stringent cleaning requirements for various material components, such as PP, CFRP, and SMC, prior to painting. By providing a truly clean surface with no chemical residue, it effectively promotes optimal paint adhesion and significantly enhances the long-term durability of the coating. This leads to a higher First Pass Yield (FPY) and lower costs from scrap and rework.
AE Low-Temperature CO₂ Cleaning Technology represents a paradigm shift in the field of automotive surface treatment. This technology provides a systemic answer that balances economic and environmental benefits for the high-quality coating of automotive lightweight components by re-engineering the process flow, reducing life-cycle costs, and improving final product quality.
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