Aluminum Foil Test

If you’ve heard of ultrasonic cleaning you’ve probably heard of the aluminum foil test.  The practice of putting a piece of aluminum foil into an ultrasonically activated tank of water probably began as a novelty demonstration.  The holes produced in the aluminum foil by the collapse of cavitation bubbles at least showed that something interesting …

The Benefit of Ultrasonic Cavitation and Implosion in Cleaning to Remove Soluble Contaminants

Ultrasonic cavitation and implosion provide a unique benefit in cleaning unmatched by other means.  So much so that ultrasonic cleaning is often used as a benchmark to judge the effectiveness of other cleaning techniques. The major factors in cleaning are Time, Temperature, Chemistry and Mechanical Effect or Motion (TTCM).  There are other acronyms for these …

Automatic Chemical Makeup – Will it Work for You?

Automatic chemical addition and makeup is an attractive on feature on today’s sophisticated cleaning machines.  Who wouldn’t appreciate eliminating the drudgery of taking samples, titrating, refractometer readings, or whatever and adding chemistry to a cleaning or rinsing bath manually?  The trouble is that automatic chemical makeup is just not possible or applicable in all cases. Although there are …

Filter Smart!

When particles are the enemy, my general rule is filter, filter, filter!  The cost of filtration is small compared to the overall benefit even if it is only “insurance.”  There is, of course, the initial cost of installation (filter housings, pumps, plumbing, etc.) but the cost after that is going to be pretty much fixed provided …

Particle Problems – Process or Machine?

What happens when parts exit the cleaning process dirty?  First of all, PANIC, especially in the case of critical cleaning for optics, semiconductor, disc drive and other industries where particles that can’t even be seen with a microscope render product worthless and unrecoverable!  Then there is the inevitable quest for, “Why this is happening?”  Although this scenario is …

Cleaning Process Specification Questions

The cleaning process is the “recipe” for cleaning.  Like any culinary recipe, it should clearly define the ingredients, times, temperatures and the method of application to be used for cleaning.  Most cleaning consists of at least the three basic steps of washing, rinsing and drying. Wash – The purpose of washing is to remove contaminants …

Immersion or Spray – – or Both?

Immersion or spray methods are used in most industrial cleaning processes.  Both are effective but one may be better suited than the other in some applications and often for reasons that aren’t immediately obvious.   Let’s take a minute to explore some of the benefits and limitations of each. Spray – The most often recognized …