Corporate Buyers Guide

When speaking of industrial parts cleaning, one is covering a large area of possibilities. The use of ultrasonic power for cleaning parts, in particular, small parts has been around for some time. So, what’s new?

The new thing is the disappearance of organic solvents. This has made ultrasonic cleaning of parts a very desirable option. The traditional ultrasonic bucket has been extended in size and shape to clean parts in size from less than ¼ inch to 6 – 7 inches in length or diameter. The weight can be from one ounce to many pounds.

The key to cleaning this broad range of parts is the understanding and application of the ultrasound technology. Three items need to be considered. First is the frequency of the ultrasonic wave. The frequency range is from 25 to 75 khz. The low frequencies are good for heavy objects. The higher the frequency the gentler the waves. The sound waves cause cavitation on the solid surfaces that the waves encounter. Second is the location of the parts in relation to the source of the sound waves. If some of the cleaning has to be in hole or depressions on the parts, frequency and source location are very important. Third is the power the waves. There is no standard for the power rating. The rating may be KW in Peak Power, RMS or average power and may not always be defined by the manufacturer.

Water at high pressure is an effective tool for removing foreign material from any solid surface. The water pressure has to be regulated so that the objects being cleaned are not damaged or moved around.

The spray washers come in two configuration, top and front loading.

The top loaded washer has one or more trays to hold the material being washed. The trays are mounted on a center post and the tray, rotates while water jets spray from the sides, top and bottom. The washer can have more than one tray. Top loaded washers are available with trays up to six feet in diameter. With a single tray, the part height can be up to two feet.

The front loaded washers have a stack of trays that hold the parts. The parts are loaded into the trays from the front. The number of trays in the washer determines the maximum height of the parts in each tray. The trays are round and rotate on a center post. The maximum tray diameter is around five feet.

In addition to dimensions, each tray is rated for maximum load.