Maintaining Industrial Equipment

Raw ions and metals are valuable resources because they are scarce and there are only a limited amount that can be harvested. Not being wasteful with metals that have already been harvested and taking the time and effort to recycle them can have profound impact on energy savings. In fact, recycling and reusing aluminum can save 90% of the energy required for producing new aluminum. Out of all of the metals that can be recycled, aluminum is perhaps the most valuable of them all, and many scrap metal yards are willing to pay a hefty chunk of money for it. Cleaning scrap aluminum before taking it to the scrap yards for recycling can increase the value of the metal substantially and is highly recommended. If you don't know how to clean aluminum, here are 3 tips that will help you get started.

Remove Spare Parts from the Scrap Aluminum

Most scrap aluminum parts that you find lying around are parts of a machine. If you're looking to recycle random aluminum parts that you have found, then it's important to know how the scrap yards will categorize the parts. Most of the time, these aluminum scraps are separated into two categories: contaminated and clean. Contaminated aluminum still have other parts attached to them, such as plastic lining and rubber hoses. This can greatly minimize the value of the scrap. You'll be able to easily maximize the value of the parts by simply manually removing anything that is not aluminum from the pile. This can all be done manually and generally won't take up a lot of time.

While some parts may be detachable, others may be stuck on to the surface of the aluminum. In these instances, use a razor blade and slice off as much of the unwanted materials as possible, and scrape off any remaining residues.

Incinerate the Paint Off

At times, valuable aluminum is hidden under layers of paint. Although you can technically use paint strippers to remove the paint, a faster process is to simply chuck the aluminum into an incinerator. The incinerator should actually burn the paint right off of the surface within a relatively short period of time. This way, you'll save a lot of time and effort.

Scrub Off Dirt and Dust on the Surfaces, but Avoid Using Harsh Abrasives

As the quality of the aluminum will be taken into account when it is being scrapped, it's important to make sure that all of the scrap parts you have collected are in good condition. Scrub the surface of the aluminum with a mild detergent mixed with water to wash away any dirt or dust particles. There's no special trick here. You'll have to rely on pure elbow grease.

Although you may be tempted to use harsh abrasives, like plain steel wool, to remove stubborn stains, it's best if you don't. This is because harsh abrasives can easily scratch away at the surface of the aluminum leaving scratches, dents and other damages that may decrease their overall value. If you have no choice but to use harsh abrasives, use the finest grade that you can find, and make sure to apply as little pressure as possible. In addition, stray away from harsh chemicals.

Conclusion

Dirty aluminum is considerably less valuable than clean aluminum. If you're looking to get the most out of scrap aluminum, make sure to spend a little extra time and effort in cleaning the metal pieces and sorting the parts. It's definitely worth it, as most scrap metal recycling yards will scrutinize each piece you bring in when determining the value of the aluminum.