Ultrasonic Parts Cleaners Promote Peak Performance
Instead of “Knowledge is Good,” the Faber College motto in “Animal House,” we propose “Clean is Good.” This is not a joke, when it comes to “clean” in keeping costly equipment up to peak performance. Here’s how ultrasonic parts cleaners promote peak performance across a broad range of products.
An Ultrasonic Parts Cleaner? Why Is It Important?
Cleaning parts, whether new or being refurbished, can represent a significant amount of time and, without the proper equipment, can be unpleasant or uneconomical.
For example:
- Solvent spray tanks, aerosol sprays, manually scrubbing with flammable solvents, abrasives and other alternatives – beside yielding unsatisfactory results – can raise environmental, health and safety concerns.
- Complex parts – the methods above often can’t reach parts with cracks, crevices and blind holes.
- Labor – time clocks run during parts disassembly, manual cleaning and reassembly. The power of ultrasonic energy can substantially reduce labor costs, insure superior cleaning results and free personnel to attend to other tasks.
Why Ultrasonic Parts Cleaners Work So Well
The post ultrasonic cleaning, an in-depth look gets into more detail on the topic.
Ultrasonic parts cleaners are offered in a variety of sizes from tabletop units holding under a gallon to industrial units holding multiple gallons of ultrasonic cleaning solution (examples provided below).
If your unit has a timer, you can load it with parts, set the timer and attend to other matters while the ultrasonic parts cleaner does its job.
Specifying your Ultrasonic Parts Cleaner
Know Your Requirements
The number and size of parts you’ll be cleaning, as well as the degree of contamination to be removed, serve as a guide to the type of unit you’ll need.
If your requirements are minimal, we suggest considering the Elmasonic E+ series available in cleaning solution capacities from .25 to 7.5 gallons.
Additional features found in the Elmasonic Select series, offered in 11 tank sizes from 0.75 to 24 gallons, include 5 ultrasonic modes to optimize parts cleaning, sample preparation and solvent degassing plus the ability to store up to 5 commonly used programs.
Dual-frequency cleaning at 37 and 80 kHz is among the features offered in the Elmasonic P series in 6 tank sizes from 0.75 gal to 7.5 gallons.
Should your parts be heavily contaminated and require long-term cycles a suggestion is an Elmasonic xtra TT unit in 4 tank sizes from 0.8 to 4.8 gallons.
Elma xtra TT ultrasonic parts washers feature heavy-duty stainless steel cleaning solution tanks that can be used continuously up to 8 hours a day. Operating at 37 kHz, they have a permanent sweep mode to assure uniform cleaning and a switchable dynamic mode to increase peak ultrasonic performance.
If your ultrasonic parts cleaning operations are large scale, take a look at the floor-mounted Elmasonic xtra ST series in 7 tank sizes with cleaning solution capacities from 8 to 67 gallons. These units can operate up to 8 hours a day at 25 kHz for heavily soiled parts or 45 kHz for finer cleaning.
Ultrasonic Parts Cleaner “Bells and Whistles”
Similar to purchasing your new car, “must have” and “nice to have” and “don’t really need” are important distinctions when selecting your ultrasonic parts cleaner.
The information provided in the link to Elma Ultrasonic Cleaners includes features and benefits offered by the several series offered.
- Timers let you “set and forget” the cleaning cycle, turning off the ultrasonic energy at the end of the cycle.
- Heaters let you set the cleaning temperature recommended by the cleaning solution manufacturer. Some units will start the cleaning when the set temperature is reached.
- Sweep provides a slight ± variation in ultrasonic frequency to avoid areas of too intense and no cavitation.
- Pulse provides bursts of higher energy to blast away more stubborn contaminants.
- Degas drives off cavitation-inhibiting trapped air from fresh cleaning solutions and is especially useful for large-capacity tanks. Pulse can also accomplish this.
- Dynamic combines sweep and pulse for optimized cleaning performance.
- Eco offers quiet gentle cleaning.
- Dual-frequency cleaners allow you to select between a higher frequency for more delicate cleaning or cleaning highly finished surfaces, and a lower frequency for more intense cleaning.
- Adjustable power likewise lets you customize parts cleaning cycles to the tasks at hand.
Contact us for realistic recommendations on the “bells and whistles” you need to maximize the effectiveness of your ultrasonic parts cleaner.
More than Equipment to Ultrasonic Parts Cleaning
Your ultrasonic parts cleaner works best when you specify the correct cleaning solution chemistry for the cleaning challenges addressed.
A widely used chemistry is biodegradable Elma tec clean A4 concentrate available in 2.5-, 10- and 25-liter containers.
Uses include removing grease, dirt, coolant, oil, dust, carbon, soot and wax from all metal parts including carburetors, engines and drive chains; newly machined or refurbished parts, and plastic, glass, ceramics, quartz and rubber components.
It is diluted to 2% to 5% with water, depending on the condition of the parts being cleaned. With proper bath maintenance it can provide a long service life before replacement is necessary.
Note that while this cleaning solution is biodegradable, always consult local authorities regarding proper disposal.
For a more inclusive rundown of ultrasonic cleaning solution chemistries and how they solve ultrasonic parts cleaning challenges, check our post on cleaning solutions for ultrasonic cleaning tasks.
Need More Info on Ultrasonic Parts Cleaning?
You might find answers in our ultrasonic cleaner frequently asked questions.
Then contact the Elmasonic ultrasonic cleaning professionals for additional information and recommendations on picking your ultrasonic parts cleaner, cleaning solution chemistries and operating tips.
