Cleanliness standard for fasteners

Working with the Fraunhofer Institute, a German organisation that undertakes applied research, Arnold has established its own test laboratory which develops and adapts test specifications to stipulate the degree of component cleanliness required in production and throughout the supply chain. "What have always been rather general cleanliness requirements for components now can be categorised precisely", explains Michael Pult, marketing and communications manager. "Our fascination for technology has its price. Very complex units and component assemblies are becoming increasingly compact and more powerful which means that the risk of malfunction is rising at a disproportionate rate. In many cases microscopic particles cause the malfunction. "What has become known as 'technical cleanliness' is a value-adding component of a product affecting its quality, function, and service life. Considering the rather undefined requirements imposed by customers to date - they simply state maximum permitted values for contamination - Arnold has developed Cleancon." .