Guyson has the formula for success; Guyson is working with the Honda Formula One team to provide degreasing and cleaning solutions

When watching Honda F1 drivers hurtling around the world's Grand Prix circuits, few people will be thinking about the work of the 'backroom boys' who built the cars' engines. Yet the performance and reliability of these feats of modern engineering directly contribute to the success of the team each year and attention to detail counts, right down to the cleaning and finishing of each individual part.

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This is why Honda Racing Development, which builds engines for both the Honda F1 and Japan's Super Aguri teams, has invested in a purpose-built cleaning system from Guyson International, using environmentally-responsible Novec HFE-7100 engineered fluid from 3M, plus Topklean, a high performance solvent from Avantec. Both solvents are supplied by Acota which specialises in providing cleaning and finishing fluids for electronics and associated industries.

Says Honda's Ray Dawson, manager technical manufacturing, "When engines leave here, they need to be ready for the track and as each engine now has to do two races under Grand Prix rules, the components need to be cleaned to maintain the highest level of reliability."

Honda has become a serious force in F1 in recent years. It acquired British American Racing in 2005 and still uses BAR's former facilities in Northamptonshire. There are also extensive R&D facilities in Japan, augmented by Honda Racing Development, which from its Bracknell base, builds and despatches dozens of high performance engines each year.

Traditionally, degreasing and precision-cleaning of each engine part was carried out manually, using a paraffin-based fluid and a second solvent to remove any grease, but Ray Dawson could see that there was room for change. "We are always looking for ways to improve. One of the limitations of handwashing is that it can be hard to control a consistently high level of cleaning. Furthermore, there tends to be a build-up of residue in the cleaning tank during the month. Although we don't have large volumes of components to clean, they are relatively large and are precision hydraulic and pneumatic parts that need careful handling."

Ray Dawson was also mindful of Honda's emphasis on the environment: followers of F1 will be aware of their 'My Earth Dream' campaign. Therefore, it would not have been appropriate for Honda to use a cleaning system that was unsafe for both employees and the environment. So it was vital that any new cleaning processes conformed to the SED (Solvents Emissions Directive), which has recently come into force in Europe, and limits the use of solvents that fall into the 'CMR' category (Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Toxic to reproduction.)

The Japan facility was experimenting with automated cleaning processes, so Ray Dawson decided to see what was available in the UK, beginning by looking at some of the automated water-based systems being used by other automative firms. He soon dismissed this approach. "Water-based cleaning sounds environmentally responsible, but the problem is that you still have to hand-wash certain parts and you still have waste to deal with. Drying is an issue, too, because you can be left with water stains. Water ends up being expensive and the quality of the job itself isn't satisfactory."

Following further research into the market, Honda decided to invest in a cleaning system from Guyson International, one of Europe's leading manufacturers of cleaning and finishing systems. The Kerry Microsolve Cosolvent system was purpose-built for Honda and, due to the sheer size of the engine parts involved (for example, a whole cylinder head), it is one of the largest the company has ever been asked to design and manufacture. Using the combination of two solvents gives Honda an even more efficient level of cleaning of their engine components by effective removal of contaminants.

Using Novec HFE-7100 fluid - a hydro-fluoro ether-helps Honda to adhere to its environmental principles. It is rated as being 'non ozone depleting' and has comparatively low toxicity, meeting SED standards. At the same time, 3M has engineered its HFEs to provide high quality cleaning performance and in many cases the amount of fluid that needs to be used is less than with traditional solvents, making them a viable alternative to CMR-classified solvents.

Novec HFE-7100 fluid is also cost-efficient and easy to maintain: When used in the Kerry Microsolve system the fluid distils and cleans itself, so there is never any need for full replacement

Instead, the 3M solvent is simply topped up from time to time and the filter changed when required. Avantec's Topklean is used in conjunction with ultrasonic activity to provide the successful cleaning of Honda's contaminated components. It is anticipated that it will need to be changed just once a year.

Since hand-cleaning fluids need to be changed every month, it is clear to see how cost savings can be achieved by using the Guyson Co-solvent system. A further bonus is the minimising of waste fluid for disposal.

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