A few days ago, I sat down to write what I thought would be a simple explanation of surface tension and how it is measured in the laboratory (a blog which will be published shortly if I can figure all of this out). In doing the normal background research, however, I started to see contradictions … Continued
In recent blogs we have been talking, for the most part, about particles that are relatively large – ones you can see, touch and feel. There is a world out there, however, that worries about particles that are very tiny. I’m talking about particles that are smaller than tens of microns in dimension. An earlier … Continued
Before we leave the subject of particles and particle counting, there are some things we need to touch on regarding “exceptional” particles. In an earlier blog, Particles That Don’t Count?, we discussed briefly some particles that may or may not count when it comes to analyzing the cleanliness of a part. These and several other kinds of … Continued
“Hard” water contains minerals, usually Calcium and Magnesium, that form scale and soap scum. In most cases, soft water is preferred to hard water in industrial cleaning. In some cases it can mean the difference between success and disaster. Since its been a while since we last talked about water, you may want to review a … Continued
Next to water filtration and “softening,” de-ionization is probably the next most common water treatment. Ions in water interfere with many cleaning processes and cause water spots on drying after rinsing. The common measure of the amount of ions in water is “resistivity.” The more “resistive” water is, the less ions it contains. Water from a municipal … Continued
As discussed earlier, monitoring variables in a process is a critical part of Six Sigma. The following are some examples of parameters that can be monitored in a cleaning process and some suggestions regarding how the monitoring can be done. Chemical Concentration – Chemistry (detergent, acid, rinse aid, etc.) is one of the most important components of the … Continued
This blog is in response to recently received reader questions regarding the best designs for baskets and fixtures used in ultrasonic cleaning applications. The blog Reader Questions – Baskets for Ultrasonic Cleaning addressed previous questions. Today’s question concerns the use of metallic fasteners in the construction of baskets and fixtures to hold parts for ultrasonic cleaning. The … Continued
The preceeding blog discussed what is probably the “granddaddy” of all cleaning challenges – burned-on carbon. But, as those of us who have been in the cleaning business since Noah launched the ark know, there are a bunch of other cleaning challenges that defy modern technology. In general, these challenges fall into a small group … Continued
As a leading ultrasonic manufacturer, we are often asked to manufacture large, industrial ultrasonic cleaning systems producing a particular ultrasonic power density based on laboratory trials. In fact, it may not be appropriate to base the watts per gallon requirement for a large industrial application on those found effective on a laboratory scale. A paper at the following … Continued
It should be clear by now that heat plays an important role in drying. Delivery of heat to a drying system is critical and can be accomplished in a number of ways. Today’s blog will explore two options for heat delivery – conduction and radiation. Conduction seems to be the “go to” when it comes … Continued