CRC Smartwasher - Benchtop PRO 2019

Designers: David Bulfin, Bill Riley, Jereme Gilbert, BOLTGROUP, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA and Bill Wellman, Julie Williams, CRC Industries, Horsham, Pennsylvania, USA
Manufacturer: CRC, Horsham, North Carolina, USA

The world of industrial-grade parts washing has historically been the realm of large commercial equipment and toxic, environmentally hazardous solvents. For prosumers, small business owners, and at-home mechanics, this barrier represented a fundamentally unmet user need. The CRC SmartWasher Benchtop PRO is a first-in-its industry product, transforming a dirty, dangerous, large industrial appliance into a safe, easy, environmentally-friendly retail consumer product.

This award-winning product is already proving itself as the emergent solution for cleaning car drivetrain parts, bike and motorcycle parts at home.

Using bio-remediating technology to break down oil, grease, and gas into C02 and water, the product produces no harmful byproducts, while being just as effective as solvent-based cleaners. The design itself represents a totally new category of product in the home garage, allowing hobbyists and DIYers to access commercial-grade cleaning power that is thoughtfully made, easy to use, simple to store, and safe in the household.

Design Innovation

The Benchtop PRO represents a new category and a new experience altogether for a consumer product. For the first time, commercial-grade parts washing is available in the consumer retail arena as a smaller, stowable, self-contained package.

When in use, the product opens to reveal a deep washing sink with an electrical, pump operated brush wand to scrub, apply and circulate detergent. The circulating fluid detergent itself is reusable and internally contained, so the only “top-offs” needed are due to evaporation or dripping.

Several components in the design serve two purposes, making the product efficient and clever.

The lid cover folds out to form a convenient self-draining drying rack, that pours back into the main sink area. The door for the power cord storage zone doubles as a secure kickstand for the drying rack, snapping in place with a re-assuring detent.

All the fluid is securely held inside the device’s hollow blow mold, meaning there is no need to drain or opportunity created for unwanted spills. The basin’s drain offers clear fill lines, and when the unit is turned 90 degrees, no fluid is spilled or lost. The unit also is designed to stand on end when not in use and can be stored in the garage in any small space, immediately ready for the next job.

By solving for the dirtiness, large space cost, material waste, and deadly chemicals associated with parts washing today, the Benchtop PRO is poised to change the game for the home user.