You may already have heard of ultrasonic cleaning – but the questions about it remain unanswered. For instance, what makes it better than other cleaning methods available today? Also, since there are more ‘desktop’ ultrasonic cleaners, is there a difference in what kind of ultrasonic cleaner you choose? Finally, you may think it doesn’t make any difference because they all work the same way – but this is a myth because some ultrasonic cleaners work better than most! So what else should you know about ultrasonic cleaning – and, more importantly, why is it more popular today? Here’s your best guide to ultrasonic cleaning – and why it’s better.
How it works
To understand why it’s a better overall cleaning method than most, you first must understand how the entire process works. In other words, what makes it different? The ultrasonic cleaner works with sound waves of high frequency, which are transferred through the liquid solution to scrub and clean any part’s or component’s surface. The sound waves, which typically have a frequency of 40 kHz, are meant to agitate the solvent or liquid solution and cause the cavitation of molecules.
Meanwhile, cavitation is the ‘bubbling’ of the molecules when a void or cavity is trapped in a bubble form in the liquid solution. These bubbles will then implode with a lot of force such that any contaminant or dirt clinging to the surface is dislodged. Hence, ultrasonic cleaning works by scrubbing surfaces and crevices with the implosion of bubbles.
What it is good for
Ultrasonic cleaning has become more popular as a cleaning method because it works with a wide range of materials, including metal, rubber, glass, hard plastic, and ceramic. Ultrasonic cleaning is beneficial for removing dirt and grime that has become stuck to the surface or has adhered to cracks or corners and recesses. Contaminants that can be removed by ultrasonic cleaners and an industrial parts cleaning service like Sonic Solutions include dirt and dust, grease and oil, pigments, polishing compounds, fingerprints, flux agents, and more.
The good news is that you can choose the fluid you use for ultrasonic cleaning, so it can either be solvent-based or water-based. Both kinds work well in an ultrasonic cleaner, and both have surfactants that can decrease tension on the surface and encourage cavitation.
How to use it
You can either buy an ultrasonic cleaner or go for a service that cleans the parts and components for you. Still, different industries already use ultrasonic cleaning – from the aerospace and automotive industries (where it first became known) to the medical and dental, jewellery, electronics, and weapons industries. A list of items commonly cleaned in ultrasonic cleaners includes carburettors, surgical and medical devices and instruments, firearms, industrial parts, window blinds and electronic components.
The material will often dictate how long the process will take, but the usual cleaning time takes around three to six minutes. However, delicate or fragile items may take longer. Here’s a tip – higher temperatures help loosen dirt more easily, so many cleaners have heat ranging from 57 C to 65 C.
A typical ultrasonic cleaner has three parts: a cleaning tank, a generator, and a transducer. If you are choosing one, make sure to select the best kind of transducer, as it is the prime component in an ultrasonic cleaner.
Image attributed to Pixabay.com
