Pocket Cleaner

Cleaning Complex Items With Ultrasonic Cleaners

CLEANING ITEMS WITH COMPLEX DETAIL by Michael Pedzy

Many industrial users of ultrasonic cleaning systems attempt to ultrasonically clean parts with significant detail in the design, such as blind holes, threaded areas, metal folds, or other similar features.  Although many of the contaminants being removed are loosely bonded to the surface, inconsistent results are found.  Some of the parts are cleaned, while others are only partially cleaned.  The following tips have been provided to maximize the performance of your ultrasonic cleaner to produce the most consistent results possible.

 TIP #1:  ATTEMPT TO RELEASE ENTRAPPED AIR 

 If your part design includes blind holes, it is very possible that an air pocket will be entrapped within the hole when the part is submerged into the ultrasonic cleaning tank, or rinsing tank.  If air is entrapped, ultrasonic cleaning cannot take place at this location, and parts will not be cleaned successfully.  Make every attempt to position the part so that the blind holes included in the design fill and drain when submerged or removed from the liquid baths.  In most cases, the only way to accomplish this is the position the holes horizontally, or at a slight angle to allow the air pockets to be released.

 If the design includes many blind holes in different orientations on the product, these parts may need to be rotated AFTER they are submerged to release any entrapped air.

 If you are cleaning small parts which can be shaken once submerged, shake the basket after submersion, as this will tend to release many air pockets as the parts are moved in position.

 TIP #2:  DO NOT STACK PARTS ONE ABOVE ANOTHER

 Ultrasonic cleaners work best when a single layer of parts is being cleaned.  If parts are placed one atop another, the bottom part will receive significantly more ultrasonic cleaning power than the top part, a principle known as ultrasonic shadowing.

 Each part submerged in an ultrasonic bath will absorb some or all of the ultrasonic energy being emitted by the ultrasonic transducers which are usually mounted on the bottom of the tank.  The amount of energy absorbed will depend upon the material of construction, and the weight of the item.  Heavy parts will absorb more ultrasonic power than lighter parts. 

 Since the part which is closest to the transducers absorbs some of the ultrasonic power, the part directly above it will receive the remaining power which was not absorbed by the lower-most part.  For example, lets assume that you are cleaning 2 parts, one above the other, and the bottom-most part absorbs 75% of the emitted ultrasonic energy.  This leaves only 25% power available to clean the top part, which may not provide enough power to remove the contaminant in question.

 If parts are cleaned in bulk quantities, limit the thickness of the part batch, especially when removing contaminants which are highly bonded to the surface, such as burned carbons, coatings, or other similar contaminants.

 TIP #3:  OSCILLATE YOUR PRODUCT DURING ULTRASONIC CLEANING

 If you have ever seen an ultrasonic cleaner in action, you will notice that contaminants are not blasted away from the surface of the parts, but are rather lifted gently from the surface.  This is especially important to consider when cleaning parts with blind holes, details, or parts cleaned in bulk, since the very design of the material being cleaned can entrap these contaminants, thereby preventing it from being released into the cleaning fluid.

 Parts with these characteristics should be oscillated upon removing the parts from the ultrasonic cleaning tank at the very least.  Simply lift and lower the basket a few times before removal, making sure to lift the parts through the liquid surface.  This allows cavities and blind holes to fill and drain repeatedly, which will flush out loosened contaminants.  

 Improvements will be evident when parts are also oscillated intermittently during the cleaning cycle.  This will serve to flush out contaminants which have already been removed from the surface of the parts, thereby allowing the ultrasonic cleaning system to work on any remaining contaminants still attached.  Many Zenith systems, such as the ultrasonic parts washer shown, include Intermittent Oscillation Systems that can perform this task automatically.

 Additional information on how to improve ultrasonic system performance can be found on our web site at http://www.zenith-ultrasonics.com.  Simply access the drop-down menu entitled TECHNICAL INFO and choose the appropriate category.

 Cleaning complex parts in an ultrasonic bath is more challenging than cleaning simple part designs.  However, when the above tips are applied, cleaning results AND speed will greatly improve.

About the Author

Michael Pedzy is President of Zenith Mfg & Chemical Corp., also known as Zenith Ultrasonics.  With over 25 years of hands-on experience cleaning every conceivable part design, he is uniquely qualified to provide operators with assistance in how to improve the cleaning capabilities of industrial parts washers and ultrasonic cleaning systems.

Shark Portable Steam Pocket Cleaner @ Bed Bath & Beyond

Swiss+Tech SCCSSS Smart Clip KeyChain Nail Clippers with LED Flashlight and Knife $9.95 Personal Care Tool with patent pending, quick-release, self-locking design that securely attaches to Standard Key Rings. Compact, Convenient, functional product fits in Pocket or Bag for use indoors or out. Long life, ultra bright LED Micro-Flashlight with battery included, Scissors, Nail Cleaner, Nail File, Built in Nail Clipper, Flat Screwdriver, Precision-Ground straight Knife Blade, all in P…

Purse Size Deluxe Coupon Organizer – 24 Cards – Made in the USA $8.00 Finally! The Deluxe Purse Size Coupon Organizer that is AMERICAN MADE! It is made of durable, colorful, polyester material 4 1/2″ X 8″. It not only attaches to the cart, as in the picture, but will attach to any side of the cart, and to the handle also. Most purse size coupon organizers come with paper-thin divider cards, but the Deluxe Purse Size Coupon Organizer has 24 durable cards with tabs, m…

Multi-Purpose Sanitizing Portable Steamer with Attachments (BLUE) $27.99 Accessories1. Squeegee attachment2. Funnel3. Towel sleeve4. Measuring cup5. Bent spray nozzle6. Round brush nozzle7. Flexible extension hose8. Long spray nozzle9. Door/window nozzle…

JET 708620B AFS-1000B 550/702/1044 CFM 3-Speed Air Filtration System with Remote and Electrostatic Pre-Filter $369.99 The Jet 3-speed air filtration systems clean and circulate the air in your shop while you work, filtering 98-99 of all particles, five microns in size and 85 of particles one micron in size. And with the timer, you come into your shop, set the timer for two, four or eight hours and forget it. The system automatically shuts down at the time youve set. They use a convenient standard size outer filte…

UVC Sanitizer Light, Pocket Model $18.88 This handy Pocket UV-C Light Sanitizer is perfect for both home and travel use! Simply wave the wand over most objects and surfaces and the germicidal Ultraviolet light will significantly reduce up to 99% of germs, bacteria, viruses, fungi and molds in just seconds! Portable size that is ideal for cell phones, laptops, door knobs, public bathroom surfaces, toys, etc. Lightweight, compact handheld …

Metro Vacuum MDV-1BA DataVac Pro 4.5-AMP Computer Vac/Blower $59.99 Specially designed to clean computers, printers, and other electronic equipment, the Metropolitan Vacuum MDV-1BA DataVac Pro helps keep dust and debris from damaging your valuable devices. Offering the right amount of suction, as well as attachments designed to reach hard-to-access areas, this high-powered blower safely cleans your computers and peripherals.The DataVac Pro quickly removes debris f…

Black Mini Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard for iPhone 4, iPad, iPaq, PDA, MAC, OS, PS3, Droid, Smart Phones, PC, Computers $8.03 The Adapt ADK-100 Micro Keyboard is the smallest Bluetooth keyboard in the market supporting a wide range of devices. Its sleek, thin and pocket sized design will appeal to many mobile users. The Adapt ADK-100 Micro Keyboard is the perfect solution to those road warriors having a Bluetooth enabled mobile lacking a keyboard….

GSI Deluxe Lens Cleaning Pen System, Cleans all Camera Lenses, Telescopes, Binoculars, LCD, Plasma, Screens, Watches and Flashes from Dust, Dirt and Fingerprints – Pocket Tool. $0.35 The GSI Lens Pen Cleaning Pen System is a great accessory for any optics user, making it great for maintaining your digital or film camera, binoculars, telescopes, or spotting scopes. The soft retractable brush removes fingerprints, dust and other debris that may compromise your lens. The small, pen-style design easily fits in any camera bag, as the soft brush retracts into pen body to stay clean….

47cc 49cc Pocket Bike ATV Performance Carb Carburetor $39.99 Replacement part for Chinese / CAG pocket bike or ATV Most effective way to Increase Engine Performance, gain horse power, and increase speed!! This carb kit is design for racing enthusiams that want to add top performance to their bikes Replace your standard low powered carb with this one. Lets your engine ride cleaner and gains horse power. Replacement for MTA-1 (Cagllari), MTA-2 (MX-3), MTA…

Dead Stroke Bone Style Pocket Chalker! Deadstroke $11.00 Are you tired of the same old pocket chalkers? If so, try on the unique pocket chalker by Dead Stroke. Like all traditional pocket chalkers, it slips easily into your pocket so you don’t have to worry about any clips or magnets. Store your chalk in style with the Dead Stroke pocket chalker….