Those of us who have played the particle counting game know that there are some tough calls when it comes to harvesting particles as part of the cleanliness testing procedure. In some cases, adhering strictly to the specification would result in the rejection of every part tested. Although I do not believe that rules are …
Although manual re-washing techniques for harvesting particles are effective for a wide range of particle types and sizes, they may fall short in collecting particles that are very small (less than 10 or 20 microns) or difficult to remove from the surface of the substrate for one reason or another. Ultrasonics, which has long been the “gold standard” of cleaning, …
The evaluation of cleanliness is often based on a quantification of the particles left on a surface following the conventional or production cleaning process. The first step in evaluating a part for cleanliness with regard to particles is to harvest those particles that remain after cleaning. Once harvested, the particles can be counted, weighed, microscopically …
Removing foreign particles from surfaces is the target of many cleaning operations. The spectrum of the definition of particles as contaminants is very broad and encompasses size, number, shape and composition. Because of the diversity of the nature of particles, the methods to detect and quantify them are diverse as well. Some particles are easily seen with …
So far in this series we have concentrated primarily on the detection of oil and other hydrophobic films on surfaces. However, not all contaminating films are oil and all are not hydrophobic. What about contaminants that are not hydrophobic and may even by hydrophilic (residual soaps and surfactants, for example) as well as things like oxides? These are just …
The tests described in the last couple of blogs are rudimentary ways to assess the surface activity of the surface being tested. In fact, they are all based on the concept of contact angle. A drop of water resting at equilibrium on a surface will intersect that surface at a measurable angle called the contact angle. The …
I will get to the “high power” stuff in upcoming blogs but thought it would be a good idea to introduce a few more tests that are simple and require little or no specialized paraphernalia. Simple is good in my opinion especially when you are troubleshooting in a remote location or when you are working …
The last thing you want on a surface that is to be plated, painted or otherwise coated with something that needs to adhere to that surface is a film of residue that prevents that adhesion. The water break test is a simple, quick and usually non-destructive test to test for hydrophobic films. The test is …
In most manufacturing processes where metal is formed or cut, oil is used in one form or another as a lubricant. Oil and other lubricants, in order to do their job, are formulated to have very low surface tension, and, because of their low surface tension, are difficult and often impossible to control or confine. Oil spreads …
I know, there I go with the titles agan – sorry. But it fits because I thought I’d start this series off with one of the simplest tests I know for cleanliness. It’s a good example of a test that, although effective, doesn’t cost a fortune and can give some pretty meaningful results. I’m not …
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