What Provides the Best Results – Agitation or Ultrasonic Cleaning?

While both agitation cleaning and industrial ultrasonic cleaners work on the same basic principle, their applications and level of efficiency are otherwise different.

Agitation cleaning is best suited for hard metal objects and machine parts that are made of steel or brass. In agitation cleaning, parts are placed in a chemical bath on a moving platform. As the platform moves, the agitation action circulates the cleaning agent so that it comes to contact with the bulk of the parts to remove dirt and contamination.

In ultrasonic cleaning sound waves are utilized to agitate the cleaning liquid at an ultrasonic frequency range created by ultrasonic generators. When such high-frequency waves pass through the liquid, the agitation gives rise to millions of microscopic cavitation bubbles. These bubbles form and collapse quickly, with each implosion sending forth shockwaves over narrower, minute areas. Upon contact with the surface of the parts being cleaned, these shockwaves emit so much power and force that they efficiently remove surface contamination. The cleaning action makes ultrasonic cleaning systems ideal for cleaning a wide variety of parts made of different materials.

What is the most effective cleaning method? The answer depends on several factors including what kind of part is being cleaned. Agitation cleaning is suitable for cleaning hard and heavy parts, but typically it takes more time to clean and can’t be used on more delicate parts. Ultrasonic cleaning can clean a much wider variety of parts from hard and robust parts to more delicate ones much faster without the use of chemicals.

While agitation cleaning usually costs less, there are other expenses that need to be considered such as the use of chemicals, production cost, energy cost and employee time spent, etc. An ultrasonic cleaning system may be more expensive upon purchase, but in the long run, it will save you more money but cutting down production time and use of chemicals and detergents. When all things are considered, industrial ultrasonic cleaning systems will clean parts more effectively in less time which provides the best cost-effective option for most business operations.

Read the complete article, “What Provides the Best Results - Agitation or Ultrasonic Cleaning?” for more details on comparing ultrasonic cleaning with agitation cleaning. Contact Kaijo from a free quote or consultation at info@kaijo-shibuya.com or 408-675-5575 to discuss your requirements.

How an Ultrasonic Cleaner is Configured for Different Cleaning Application

From delicate parts to large machined components, the job of an industrial ultrasonic parts cleaner can be challenging and complicated largely due to different cleaning needs. The best manufacturers offer both standard and customized solutions, with components which can be mixed and matched to any specific needs.

The essential components that are selected for configuring ultrasonic parts cleaners consist of:

1) Generator – creates and amplifies an ultrasonic signal;
2) Transducer – creates physical ultrasonic sound waves from the signal created;
3) Cleaning bath – holds the parts or items that need to be cleaned.

Each of these parts is selected at the configuration stage. Custom features can also be added to these standard components as well in order to meet specific customer’s needs.

When configuring an ultrasonic cleaner, the first step is to look at the cleaning requirements which are usually described by the customer. Then, the design personnel determines the specific equipment needed to meet those requirements, depending on the various factors that include the nature of the contamination and the material of the part being cleaned. Other variables including the size of the parts being cleaned are also considered. For instance, for a single-use application, a low-frequency generator may be used; in the case of larger cleaning baths, multiple transducers can be installed to achieve optimum cleaning performance.

Once the design characteristics are determined, the designers start to look at the kind of transducers to use – there are immersible, mounted and bolt-on varieties – which can be used for different cleaning needs. For example, if the bath to use is an existing tank at the customer's own facility, an immersible transducer is ideal to use. There are also other customizable options which include mounts, a heater and the use of the resonance system, among others.

Companies that need either standard or customized ultrasonic parts cleaners should read the complete article titled “How an Ultrasonic Cleaner Is Configured for Different Cleaning Applications.” Contact Kaijo Shibuya at 408-675-5575 or info@kaijo-shibuya.com for a free quote or consultation to discuss your specific cleaning application.