IMI recently launched the Aluminator System at February's annual meeting of the Technology & Maintenance Council in Atlanta. The Aluminator System is a three-part process that will wash, clean, and finish aluminum wheels, giving them a clean, matte-like finish. It was developed with both safety and appearance in mind, according to the company.

“We believe this is innovative because this process effectively removes grease, concrete, asphalt, brake dust, and corrosion, while cleaning the entire surface of an aluminum wheel rather than just one side. We intentionally engineered the entire system to clean without cutting or removing the wheels' profile keeping the DOT stamp intact and the wheel compliant with industry standards," said Bob Fogal, president and CEO of IMI.

After initially washing the wheels, the service provider should perform an inspection looking for any damage or out-of-service conditions, which can increase safety and reduce costs. The Deep Clean portion of the process opens the profile of the wheel to remove brake dust, asphalt, concrete, fly ash, regular grime, and dirt.

The third step, buffing, closes the profile of the wheel in order to prevent corrosion. This leads to a matte like finish for fleets who want their wheels to have a clean look. An additional finish option can be chosen to shine the aluminum wheels.