To preserve the longevity and future of your fleet, “first clean” is critical. When you pay $250-$350 for an air knife clean, there is a high probability after that clean, that your DPF filter is still 50% dirty. The remaining ash in the DPF will eventually harden, leading to potential unrepairable damage, resulting in a costly replacement. While partnering with large fleets across the nation, Ceramex has proven that DPF filter fallout can be dramatically reduced if the first clean is not performed with an air knife. Our fleet testing has also shown that if your first DPF clean is with an air knife, 50% of your filters will not be suitable for a 2nd clean. With Ceramex restoration, your DPF filters can be 95%+ OEM restored as many as 3-4 times, saving you thousands over the life of your fleet.
Before deciding on an air knife clean, it is wise to consider this general 50/50/50 principle:
In both the air knife cleaned filters above at left, over 1/2 lbs. ash was left in each filter after the air knife cleaning
When DPFs are cleaned with an air knife, the knife leaves what are commonly referred to as “witness marks” similar as pictured in Ceramex Veritex images at left. These Veritex images clearly indicate that not all the cells are being cleaned during the air knife process. Regardless of time on the air knife, it will never effectively clean your filter.
Ceramex has been perfecting restorable DPF technology for 15 years. As an original OEM supplier and innovator of restorable after treatment restoration technology, we’ve invested millions of dollars in research and development in our propriety technology that includes 100% validation of our 95%+ Performance Promise. Various field-cleaning methods may provide temporary performance improvement of your DPF, but field cleaning can end up costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars over the life of your fleet.
Ceramex restored DPF’s are subjected to a thorough inspection process before they are restored. Any DPF that doesn’t meet Ceramex OEM standards or acceptance are rejected for restoration.
Unlike typical cleaning machines, the Ceramex restoration process utilizes proprietary chemicals and technology that breaks down hard to remove ash in preparation of the restoration process.
Ceramex restored DPF’s are subjected to an additional patented process called X’Purge. This technology further removes any remnants of particulate matter that have been left in the filter.
All Ceramex restored DPFs are subjected to an exhaustive testing and validation program. Ceramex patented Veritex infrared imaging allows us to see inside every DPF cell to validate the thorough removal of ash. This validation process ensures that every Ceramex DPF is restored to 95%+ OEM performance.
Without a Ceramex certified OEM inspection , a substandard DPF might be recleaned or reused.
Use a common “bake and blow” cleaning process at best where a regeneration (bake) is performed and then high-pressure air is forced threw the filter channels (blow).
The air cleaning process removes much of the light, “easy to remove” ash, but the crust layer of thicker “hard to remove” ash often remains. New ash begins to collect and harden which further blocks the DPF, leaving a potential 2nd cleaning unlikely.
Various field-cleaning methods may temporarily improve performance of your DPF, get you back on the road and provide some peace of mind. However, air cleanings alone are generally very ineffective when it comes to removing the “hardened ash” that generally clings to DPF cell walls.