[p2tech] Wire & Cable Mftr. questions

We're working with a company that manufactures high-voltage electrical
cables.  They have two manufacturing steps using hazardous materials
generating hazardous wastes and we're looking for non-hazardous
substitutes for either the process materials or cleaning materials:

 

1.	They use an ink jet printer to record information on an inner
cable jacket.  They use white ink to print on a black inner jacket
composed of vinyl acetate.  Since the ink is solvent-based, it generates
the usual hazardous waste from cleaning the ink jets with solvent.  This
is a fairly high speed process so drying time is an issue as well as
making sure the ink adheres to the substrate.

 

2.	They draw copper and aluminum rods through dies, to create
thinner diameter cable wires. The drawing process requires the
application of drawing oil to preserve the drawing dies and this oil has
to be removed to ensure wire vinyl and rubber coatings adhere to the
wire.  They presently run the wire through an aqueous sodium hydroxide
bath with ultrasonic agitation.  They've tried flaming the oil, using
baking soda blast and citrus cleaners (that foam too much; we're looking
into anti-foaming agents) but these methods slow the process down too
much.

 

Clearly, a water-based ink or drawing oil would be great but we're also
looking for non-hazardous cleaning agents and we're hoping someone out
in P2 Tech land has already worked on these issues with a cable
manufacturer.  Suggestions, anyone?

 

Thanks, people.

 

Paul Lockwood

NH Department of Environmental Services

P.O. Box 95

Concord, NH 03302-0095

(603) 271-2956

 

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