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Preceding blogs have discussed acidic and caustic based cleaning chemistry.  There are also chemistries, however, which are neither acidic or caustic but, rather, rely on other more mechanical than chemical mechanisms to affect cleaning.  In a capsule, these mechanisms are wetting and emulsification.  The reader should recognize that ingredients that promote these removal mechanisms are frequently … Continued

If you have deduced from the preceeding few blogs that heat is one of the major factors in drying, you are right.  But before we talk more about heat, let’s “set the stage.”  Heat is that stuff that increases temperature of a substance when added and reduces temperature when absorbed.  Temperature is the level of … Continued

Buffing compound is a material used in polishing operations which must be removed once polishing is complete.  Buffing compound consists of a finely divided abrasive mixed with a “vehicle” which is often a paraffin or, in some cases, animal fat and other “fats”  depending on their price and availability in a particular region of the world.  The “vehicle” … Continued

With this post, I have reached 200 in what may be an infinite series of blogs.  So far, it has been a very interesting adventure – not only because I’ve been able to share a lot of information with you people who read this blog but because I’ve learned as well.  Having been in the … Continued

We all know that an ounce is a unit of weight, right?  There are 16 ounces in a pound, 2,000 pounds in a ton and so on.  However, in another convention, there are 8 ounces in a cup, 16 ounces in a pint, 32 ounces in a quart, 128 ounces in gallon, etc.  In fact, … Continued

The chemistries used in industrial cleaning processes are predominantly either dry (granular or powder) or liquid.  Dry chemistries cover a wide range of density and flow characteristics.  In fact, two batches of the “same” dry chemistry may have considerably different properties.  Each liquid product has its own specific gravity and viscosity characteristics but may also vary in other … Continued

As I said earlier, the cleaning equipment itself is often not the source of what is perceived to be a “cleaning” problem.  It is understandable, however, that blame often falls on the cleaning process as it is during the cleaning process that the problem often first manifests itself.  Once a problem is detected, the solution … Continued

I can think of no term found in specifications for cleaning machines that causes more controversy and confusion than the term “Sanitary Plumbing.”  This term, frequently found in specifications for cleaning and processing systems destined for the semiconductor, medical, food processing and a growing number of other markets is vague and means different things to different industries … Continued

Previous blogs have addressed what might be called the universal or common requirements for sanitary plumbing. Although obviously important, things like selecting the right materials and surface finishes are only the beginning of designing a system which is compliant with the requirements for a sanitary system as they may be defined by a particular user. … Continued

Achieving Six Sigma Capability Parts Washing “Six Sigma” methodology is one of many tools that can be used to improve process efficiency.  The following several blogs are excerpted from an article written by Dale Bowden of the Cleaning Technologies Group and was published in Process Cleaning Magazine.  Mr. Bowden specifically explores the role of cleaning … Continued