Tooling: Non-flammable Mold Cleaner and Rust-Preventive Spray

Corrosion-protection specialist Cortec Corp., St. Paul, Minn. (cortecvci.com), recently developed EcoAir Tool & Die Rust Preventative, which is reportedly non-flammable, unlike competing aerosols. Based on vegetable oil, EcoAir comes in a spray can and reportedly provides rust protection at about half the cost of greases and oils used for this purpose. And unlike those other rust preventives, EcoAir does not need to be cleaned off the mold before it can go back into production. Typical rust-preventive greases and oils must be cleaned off with solvents, which increases labor and hazardous-waste disposal costs, while exposing workers to additional health concerns.

EcoAir was developed for a specific customer who wanted to eliminate any possibility of corrosion on a 40,000-lb, Class A injection mold during its five- to six-week boat shipment to Europe. EcoAir was sprayed on the internal surfaces of the P20 steel mold for an auto interior component. This provided corrosion protection as well as water displacement and cleaning of any process fluids remaining on the mold. According to Cortec, the mold arrived with no corrosion and the client was pleased that EcoAir did not need to be cleaned off the mold. The client reportedly requested that all its molds be shipped in the same manner thereafter.

EcoAir is said to protect all types of carbon or alloy steels for up to 24 months indoors. It also reportedly cleans grease, oils, adhesives and water deposits off metal surfaces.