Key Reasons for Implementation

• The ability to automatically remove foreign matter from the circulating water used in shower testing, significantly reducing the need for filter cleaning and other maintenance.

Challenges Faced by the Customer

At one automotive plant, managing the circulating water used in shower testing had become a challenge.

A shower test simulates rainfall to check that no water enters the vehicle through the body, doors, windows, or trunk. As one of the final inspection steps before shipment, it plays a critical role in ensuring vehicle watertightness and airtightness.

Water used in the test is temporarily collected in an underground tank, then circulated for reuse.

However, the circulating water contained foreign matter generated during earlier manufacturing processes. Typical contaminants included lint from work gloves used during body assembly and surface inspection, welding spatter, and paint and sealer residue.

As this foreign matter circulated through the system, it clogged the shower nozzles and accumulated on the filter in the underground tank. The resulting increase in cleaning frequency placed a heavy burden on operators. In severe cases, operators had to go underground to clean the filter as often as once every four hours.

Solutions Proposed by IKEUCHI

After receiving the customer’s inquiry, IKEUCHI proposed installing the ARS, an automatic strainer with a self-cleaning function. Installed upstream of the circulating water tank, it efficiently removes foreign matter, significantly reducing the frequency of filter cleaning and the labor involved.

Unlike conventional backwash filters that clean the screen by reversing the water flow, ARS uses high-pressure jet spray cleaning to remove accumulated foreign matter.

During filtration, foreign matter accumulates on the filter screen, causing a pressure difference between the inlet and outlet. When ARS detects this differential pressure, it . High-pressure water jets sprayed from inside the screen dislodge the accumulated foreign matter, which is then discharged through the drain. After cleaning, the differential pressure is relieved, and the supply of unfiltered water and filtration resume.

By repeating this cycle automatically, ARS maintains stable filtration performance while minimizing the need for manual maintenance.

Benefits Achieved

With its automatic self-cleaning function, ARS removes accumulated foreign matter from the filter screen, helping ensure reliable reuse of the circulating water. As a result, shower nozzle clogging was substantially reduced. The need for frequent maintenance was also reduced, easing the burden on operators and significantly improving operational efficiency.

ARS continues to play a vital role in keeping the shower testing process running reliably at this automotive plant.

SDG Contributions

Relevant SDG goals for this case.