VEHICLES & COMPONENTS | Paintwork
ProtectionProteins bring sustainable
paintwork protection
Ecological reason is increasingly shaping society and the economy. All the better whensustainable conduct brings additional economic benefits. Now, companies can take advantage ofthis opportunity when it comes to cleaning buses and locomotives. With its "Easy-to-Clean"concept, Reinwerk Solutions GmbH, in conjunction with Gelita AG, has developed newtechniques for exterior cleaning. The advantages of methods based on innovative surfactants
and functional proteins include less use of chemicals, guaranteed compliance with safety limits,easy removal of stubborn dirt - even graffiti - and a self-cleaning effect using rain. With "Easy-toClean", intervals between cleaning are longer, fleet life-cycle costs are reduced and the overall
appearance of vehicles is optimized.
▶ Rail transport companies, as well as
bus and commercial vehicle operators,
are constantly seeking ways to optimize
the exterior cleaning of their fleets, fromthe point of view of both operating costs
and cleaning results. Ecological methods
arethusbecoming
increasingly
important. Even in the tendering process
and subsequent transport contracts, therequirement is for holistic sustainable
concepts, which also includes vehicle
cleaning. Depending on the size of thefleet, costs can soon run into six figures[1].

CURRENT CLEANING:
COSTLY AND COMPLEX
Vehicles are currently washed regularly
in exterior cleaning facilities. Problematic
defilement, like on door openers orgraffiti, is cleaned off by hand.
Depending on the intensity of theiroperational use, vehicles are also deepcleaned twice a year; a process that isboth costly and time-consuming.

To extend the length of time between
cleaning, many operators apply a dirtrepellent permanent coating to theexterior
surfaceofthevehicle.
Nevertheless, experience shows that,with regular cleaning, this protective
coating only has an average lifespan ofthree years, after which the desired effectnoticeably reduces. A new protective
coating can only be applied after a timeconsuming and expensive pre-treatment.

SURFACTANTS AND PROTEINSWORKING TOGETHER
The "Easy-to-Clean" concept is based ona completely different operating principle.
Reinwerk Solutions, together with Gelita
AG, the world's market leader in collagenproteins, has developed an innovativeand sustainable cleaning process:functional proteins, under the brandname of Novotec, which are also used inother sectors of industry, are combinedwith the latest environmentally friendly

IMAGE 1: Clean as a result of self-cleaning: the roofs ofNOB train carriages

48

ETR | MARCH 2016 |NO. 3

Hermann Becker
CEOReinwerk Solutions GmbHsurfactants, not only to gently remove
dirt, but also to leave behind a protective
film on the exterior surface, that iswettable with water.
The protective film is applied during thecleaning process with LoClean cleaning
agents,developedbyReinwerk
Solutions. It forms with the firstapplication, without interfering withexisting washing technology. It has been
proven to retain its full protective function
for three months, even in demanding
operating conditions. Every time LoClean
products are used for cleaning, theprotective film is renewed. The
effectiveness of the patent-pending
cleaning
systems
developedinconjunction with Gelita has been provenin field tests, both

IMAGE 2: Likewise cleaned just by rain: flexible
corridor connectionwww.eurailpress.de/etrVEHICLES & COMPONENTS | Paintwork
Protection

IMAGE 3 and 4: Sparkling windows and paintwork: the protective film on ÖBB train carriages makes the vehicle's
exterior look "like new"at home and abroad. Due to their highaffinity with surfaces, the functional
Novotec proteins ensure the targeted
elimination and removal of dirt. A second
protein then forms a temporary protective
coating with hydrophilic, that is to saywater-binding, properties. The protective
coating sits on top of the paintworkstructure, filling the tiniest of surface
irregularities, thus providing a smoothfinish.

FINE FILM OF WATER,TOUGH PROTECTION
The protein layer induces the formationof a microscopically thin film of water,which withstands the effects of bothweather and intense sunlight. The
protective film has an astonishing effect.
The initial visual appearance after
cleaning is that the vehicle is gleaming
and the treated surfaces look like they
have been polished. There are no water
stains or stubborn deposits of dirt. The
protein film ensures that dirt particles do
not even reach the surface of thepaintwork; thus, the paintwork is neither
attacked nor damaged. If dirt becomesvisible, it only adheres to the aqueous
protective film. It can easily be cleaned
off with a sponge or a cloth or in thebrush cleaning facility. "Easy to clean"– true to its name! Dirt, particularly on
vehicle roofs, often disappears when thevehicle travels through rain. If the train orbus is caught in a heavy downpour, therain itself washes off the particles of dirt
"swimming" on the protective film.
Regular cleaning with LoClean products
enables
operatingcompanies
tocompletely dispense with the need for
repeated and costly deep cleaning withaggressive chemicals. Nor is there anyneed for expensive permanent coatings,
as the hydrophilic protection is renewedwith every LoClean standard wash.

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EFFECTIVE AGAINST GRAFFITI
The protective coating also ensures thatgraffiti removal is significantly easier andmore sustainable. The unique effect of"Easy-to-Clean" is that it is resistant tosolvents contained in the spray paint.
Thus, the protective film prevents thegraffiti from getting through to the painted
surface of the vehicle in the first place.
Graffiti can therefore be removed without
damaging the painted surface andresidual marks following removal can beavoided.

GENTLE AND HIGHLY
CONCENTRATED
LoClean products with this innovative
cleaning
technology
meet
allenvironmental standards. They havebeen approved by leading paintmanufacturers and operators. As theproduct does not contain any aggressive
substances registered as hazardous by
the operator, there are no issues
regarding discharge standards. In anycase, the products used are heavily
diluted. For intensive cleaning, theneutral cleaner can be used in the brushcleaning facility in the ratio 1: 20 to 1: 30.
For routine cleaning, the ratio is 1: 80 to
1: 240. When it comes to rinsing, aprotectant is used withdilution of 1: 20,000 to 1: 25,000. This
reduces procurement and storage costs.

THEBENEFITSGLANCEATA

There are various ways in which thissolution satisfies operators' requirements
for cleaning concepts that are as
ecologically attractive as they are
economical:→ Regular cleaning with "Easy-to-Clean"
products keeps vehicle paintwork
looking like new. Cleaned surfaces
gleam as though polished and colors
appear brighter.
→ Older vehicles can easily be adapted
to the innovative concept→ The length of time between cleaning is
considerably extended, thanks to theapplication of a protective film with aself-cleaning effect. This is bothsustainable and cost-effective.
→ The protective film can be applied withall forms of wet cleaning in exteriorcleaning systems and by means ofmanual
dry cleaning. ◀
Literature[1] Becker, Hermann: Nachhaltig Kosten senken bei
der Außenreinigung von Bahnen und Bussen[Sustainable cost reduction in the exteriorcleaning of trains and buses], ETR 5/15, pp. 67f.

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Q&A with Wolfgang Rudolph
Back in 2009, NOB was one of the first companies to use the Easyto-Clean concept described here. How big is your fleet of vehicles?
We have 90 rail carriages, 3 Lint 54 diesel multiple units and 15 "Traxx" DB 245
series diesel locomotives.

Is protein-based vehicle cleaning really easy, or at least easier?
Yes, it is actually easier. In our salty North Sea air, we have been able to extend
the period between cleaning from just two or three days to 14 days. Before, we
could often only get vehicles clean in winter by manual washing. Those days areover. Even coarse dirt can be removed easily. Dirty windows are also practicallya thing of the past.

Wolfgang Rudolf, Head of Cleaning
at Nord-Ostsee-Bahn (NOB), Husum

What is your long-term experience regarding the condition of vehiclesurfaces?
Over the years, the vehicles have continued to look amazingly good. The cleaning agent's protective film gives the paintwork aglossy shine.

Which self-cleaning
particularly noticed?

effects

haveyouRain and snow simply wash the particles of dirt away from vehicle roofs and gangway connections, with no need for brushes.

What experiences have you had with typical "technical" defilement in operation, such as graffiti orinsects?
In the warmer weather, our train drivers use the relevant cleaning agent for insects twice a day and no longer have any
problems with them. As I said before, all other dirt, whether organic or inorganic, is easy to remove.

Has the Easy-to-Clean concept meant you have had to make changes to your cleaning
procedures?
In coordination with the manufacturer and Reinwerk Solutions, we have adjusted our washing facility here in Husum toaccommodate the new cleaning procedure and have been able to automate it such that vehicle cleaning is now a one-man
operation, done by the shunter. We have installed a presoak arch to reach the surfaces that the brushes cannot reach. We
have agreed a maintenance contract with Reinwerk, which ensures that the system is constantly available to us.

How would you rate the cleaning concept in economicterms?
Now, I would say it is good. We have invested in order to optimize our system. Nevertheless, the principle of easy cleaning andextending the period between cleaning translates into a significant reduction of staff.

Fleets maintained with dry cleaning▶
The"Easy-to-Clean"concept
described above enables transportcompanies to augment the cleaning
results achieved in wet cleaning in wash
tunnels with dry cleaning by hand. The
innovative
processisparticularly
recommended for surfaces that brushsystems cannot reach. Intermittent spotcleans, for example on doors or electricdoor openers, can also be carried out
between wet cleans to improve thevehicle's appearance. Dry cleaning canbe done anywhere; it needs noinfrastructure or waste management.
Thevehicle cleaning specialist,
Reinwerk Solutions, has extended its
range of LoClean products to include
cleaners for50

ETR | MARCH 2016 |NO. 3

manual dry cleaning, also based onfunctional Novotec proteins. In fact, drycleaning, provides better results than wet
cleaning done by machine: the visual andtactile control of the user atwork is ultimately better than anymachine.
There are currently two pH-neutral
application solutions available for various
types of dirt. In the first step, the cleaner
is rubbed into

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VEHICLES & COMPONENTS | Paintwork
Protection
the surface of the vehicle using acleaning pad. Within seconds, thesurfactants in the cleaning solution
penetrate the dirt, which the functional
proteins then eliminate from the surface.
The dirt floats ("swims") on the aqueous
protein layer that forms and is thenremoved with an absorbent microfiber
cloth. A finisher is then applied to thesurface finish. The results of cleaning arethat the surface is smooth and has a highshine.
Dry cleaning does not give rise to any
form of residue that needs to be mopped
up, dealt with or treated. The fact that it isindependent of any washing systeminfrastructure means that dry cleaning
can also be done during breaks inoperation and regular service life. A nonfederal railway in southern Germany isplanning to completely dispense with
time-consuming and labor-intensive trips
to wash facilities. According to theirexperiences, a 27 meter, single-decker
railway carriage can be positively
gleaming in five man-hours. The
materials required are minimal: operator
solutions andresources cost less than €60. Despitehigh staff numbers, when it comes tocost comparisons, dry cleaning competes

favorably with mechanical wash tunnels,
when taking account of the cost of trips
taken to the exterior cleaning facility. ◀