Workpiece carriers transport components in various stages of production and are used for long periods. Many components, especially in the automotive industry, are oily or greasy, and during transport, dirt and other contaminants accumulate. Therefore, it is important to clean the trays.
Lisa-Marie Bittner
Updated on May 29, 2026
→ In our 3D Tray Generator, you can add drainage holes to the tray to optimally equip it for washing processes.
The cleaning of used plastic trays and workpiece carriers usually takes place at the end of the production chain or is even completely separated from the production process and carried out by external service providers. Trays are usually designed with a focus on the production process they are intended to optimize.
Nevertheless, it is important to consider tray cleaning right from the start of development. That's why you can specify washing processes in the configurator when you make your inquiry.
Usually, production sites sort out trays that need to be cleaned and place them at a collection point where they are picked up for workpiece carrier cleaning. The cleaning of the trays then takes place either in-house or at an external service provider. Industrial washing systems are used for this purpose.
The designs of washing systems are as diverse as the cleaned articles, workpiece carriers and components. In simplified terms, the washing process usually includes the following steps:
The latter is particularly important for delicate electronic components where residual moisture can quickly lead to corrosion. After the professional cleaning process, the reusable workpiece carriers can be immediately returned to the production cycle.
During industrial cleaning, trays are exposed to particular stresses. The choice of the right material and design must withstand these influences. Here are the most important factors:
In addition to standard washing processes, there are gentler techniques such as ultrasonic cleaning.
Since we have already designed many thermoformed trays and workpiece carriers that are suitable for industrial cleaning systems, we can tell you what matters.
For reusable containers, thicker material gauges are generally used to make the tray stable for months or years of use.
Important properties include:
Only plastics that are not reactive with the cleaning agents used are suitable. Although high-quality plastics are initially more expensive, they quickly pay for themselves through longer service life, stability and consistent quality.
The design should be adapted to the environmental influences of cleaning:
Additional features facilitate cleaning:
The design is most efficient when the internal or external cleaning service provider is involved from the start. To avoid unwanted chemical reactions, two approaches can be taken:
This way, unwanted reactions can be avoided and the tray can be optimally prepared for reusable application.
For plastic trays to reliably survive many industrial washing processes, cleaning should not only be considered at the end of the production process. It is crucial that material selection, wall thicknesses, geometry and additional features such as drainage holes are already adapted during design to the subsequent stress from chemicals, temperature, water pressure and drying.
This early planning particularly pays off for reusable trays: the tray remains stable longer, cleaning quality is improved and failures in the production cycle can be avoided.
High-quality plastic trays are made of materials with high impact strength, sufficient hardness and chemical resistance. Only plastics that are stable against cleaning agents and the intended materials guarantee a long service life and consistent quality.
