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In order to achieve six sigma results, one must evaluate, measure and statistically control ALL phases of the cleaning process.  A typical cleaning process is comprised of three main stages – – washing, rinsing and drying.  Each of these must be addressed and controlled separately as any one of the three being out of control … Continued

When in the quest for six sigma performance it never hurts to have a little “head room” in the process. In simple terms, this means that the equipment used should not be “maxed out” to achieve the desired result. I’m sure that none of us would be comfortable if we had to keep the accelerator … Continued

The ultimate “closed-loop” cleaning system would produce no effluents requiring disposal. In many manufacturing facilities, disposing of waste liquid containing chemicals and other contaminants removed from parts being cleaned is either very costly or just not possible using municipal sewer or other available facilities.  Even in the best cases, most cleaning system effluents require pre-treatment prior … Continued

A few more things to monitor – Dirty rinse – An effective rinse is critical to most cleaning processes.  Only in very limited cases can residues from the cleaning step be left on parts after they are cleaned.  It does not, of course, do any good to clean the parts if they become re-contaminated by a … Continued

Preceding blogs have described oil removal techniques for industrial cleaning in some detail.  It would be nice if this was always a simple consideration – but it is not! The case for using an oil coalescer is pretty clear cut as long as the cleaning chemistry is truly a “splitter” AND, THE OIL IS NOT WATER SOLUBLE.  … Continued

Now it’s time to see the results!  Particles have been harvested, collected and are ready to either be weighed or counted.  The first step in evaluating cleanliness using either method is to examine the specification.  There are two basic types, part-specific and generic. Part-Specific Specifications – Part-specific specifications will state the sample size in number … Continued

Some substrate materials are inherent particle generators and may never be cleaned to the point of there being no particles present.  With these materials, particles are a way of life and can not be avoided.  This, of course, makes cleanliness testing using particle analysis a difficult if not impossible task.  The difficulty is exacerbated by … Continued

Many cleaning specifications call for “Spot Free Drying.” I have always taken this to mean that there should be no visible water (or other) spots on the parts once they exit the cleaning process. The offending spots are usually created when water evaporates leaving behind a solid residue. The resulting residues or spots are cosmetically … Continued