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Although the importance of “degassing” liquids prior to their use in an ultrasonic cleaning or rinsing process is pretty much common knowledge, the source of the gas and details of how to remove it are less well known.  This blog is the beginning of a series which will describe in some detail where that gas comes … Continued

Drying is the last and often a critical part of a cleaning process.  In many cases it is also the most time and energy consuming.  It is often the most difficult part of the process to specify and control.  Although there are several drying technologies available, blowing with hot air is simple and by far … Continued

With its well-deserved credentials for chemical resistance and durability, stainless steel and particularly 316 grade stainless steel is a “go to” for the fabrication of ultrasonic cleaning tanks.  Although it performs well in most applications, there are still those where stainless steel has its limitations.  Stainless steel achieves its “stainless” characteristic by developing a very … Continued

Today’s industrial parts cleaning processes commonly employ at least three distinct steps. The basic steps are Washing, Rinsing, and Drying. Each step is custom tailored to the overall requirement with the range of options for each much broader than one not intimately involved with the technology might imagine. In some processes, in fact, it is … Continued

I will be the first person to advocate cleaning trials in the laboratory as an important step in the development of a cleaning process. I will also be the first to admit that in over fifty years of lab testing I have made (and hopefully learned from) more than a few mistakes made in the … Continued

There’s an old adage – “One Hand Washes the Other.”  Although this adage is seldom applied to cleaning technology, it certainly could be.  In fact, most successful cleaning consists of a combination of chemistry (soap, solvent or whatever) and some kind of added mechanical force to enhance or enable the cleaning process.  If one could … Continued

One of the first steps in the development of any cleaning process is to define and understand the contaminant or “dirt” that needs to be removed. Sounds simple, right? Not so fast! Dirt comes in all varieties and styles. Different kinds of dirt require different cleaning processes. Some dirt is liquid. Oils, coolants, paint, adhesives, … Continued

Why do we clean things?  “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” immediately comes to mind but doesn’t seem quite appropriate here.  There are tons of reasons to clean things but in the final analysis it comes down to aesthetics and function.  Cleaning makes things look better or function correctly or more efficiently. The typical automobile can … Continued

This over-worn catchphrase has been the title or has at least appeared in countless articles on the subject of cleaning.  Is it in need of a well-earned retirement?  Probably, but in its defense, let me say that “clean” is a pretty nebulous thing. A few minutes ago, I pulled up one of the leading dictionary … Continued

In simple terms, industrial parts cleaning (sometimes called washing) is just removing dirt from surfaces. If only it WAS that easy! Dirt removal is only one of 10’s if not 100’s of interdependent steps in a successful cleaning process. The scope of parts cleaning extends from processing of the raw materials, through the manufacturing process … Continued