Let's Compare Ultrasonic Cleaning to Other Cleaning Methods
And See Why Crest Ultrasonics Should Be Your Ultrasonic Cleaning Equipment Manufacturer
When it comes to cleaning parts surfaces, manufacturers and consumers have many options. Let’s take a look at the most common options, and compare them with ultrasonic cleaning:
Air blow-off — Uses high pressure air outtake to push away particles
- Generally ineffective on blowing away heavy or affixed contaminants
- Extremely limited use for blowing away contaminants inside long or complex objects
- Cannot suitably remove liquid-based contaminants
- Can cause debris redistribution problems
- Generally requires worker(s) to remain at cleaning station
- Propelled airborne debris can cause worker injury or health issues
Vacuuming — Uses high pressure air intake to pull in particles
- Generally ineffective on pulling in heavy or affixed contaminants
- Extremely limited use for pulling in contaminants inside long or complex objects
- Cannot suitably remove liquid-based contaminants
- Generally requires worker(s) to remain at cleaning station
Non-sonic Immersion — Uses air injection, submerged jets, agitation, or undulation to remove/dissolve contaminants from/on surfaces
- Poorly suited for removing fine particles
- Extremely limited use for pulling in contaminants inside long or complex objects
- Cannot suitably remove liquid-based contaminants
- Can cause parts damage
- Can require large amounts of power
Spraying — Uses kinetic energy of propelled liquid droplets to remove particles
- Extremely limited use for removing contaminants inside long or complex objects
- Cannot suitably remove liquid-based contaminants
- Can cause parts damage
- Can require large amounts of power
- Can cause debris distribution problems
- Can cause worker injury, including fatalities depending upon spray density and velocity
Brushing/Wiping — Uses mechanical action to remove various particles
- Poorly suited for removing many liquid-based contaminants
- Extremely limited use for removing contaminants inside long or complex objects
- Poorly suited for removing firmly affixed contaminants
- Can cause parts damage
- Can cause debris distribution problems
CO2 "Snow Cleaning" — Uses controlled expansion of liquid or gaseous carbon dioxide
- Extremely limited use for removing contaminants inside long or complex objects
- Poorly suited for cleaning large or heavy-duty parts
Ultrasonic Cleaning — Uses transducers immersed in various solvents to create imploding bubbles that lift surface contaminants
- The most effective way to precision-clean a wide range of contaminants, surfaces, and parts shapes and sizes...inside and out!
- Ultrasonic waves generate evenly distributed implosions in a liquid medium, releasing energies that reach and penetrate into crevices, blind holes (as fine as a human hair), and similar areas that are inaccessible by other cleaning methods
- Contaminant removal is consistent and uniform, regardless of the complexity and geometry of the substrates
- Can remove tough, bonded contaminants as well as minutely fine organic, inorganic, and particulate matter
- No need to disassemble parts before cleaning, which saves time and money
- Gentle yet powerful cleaning makes it virtually impossible to damage parts
- Eco-friendly, with all cleaning debris contained in tanks for easy disposal
- Very safe when handled responsibly
- Increases technician productivity due to minimal training and oversight required during cleaning, rinsing, and drying
Higher cleanliness levels are in higher demand today
Rapid advancements in various current technologies and a constant drive to miniaturize components have created a need for higher cleanliness levels.
Contamination in the level of monolayers can drastically alter surface properties such as wettability, adhesion, optical or electrical characteristics. Particles in the range of few microns down to submicron levels, trace contaminants such as nonvolatile residues (NVR) in the range of micrograms/cm2 and pictogram/cm2, ionics in the same range or traces of corrosion have become part of the daily concerns of the manufacturing engineers in major industries such as semiconductors, automotive, disk drive, optics, ophthalmic, glass, medical, aerospace, pharmaceuticals and tool coatings, among others.
The specifications on trace contaminants and particle sizes are being tightened periodically to reflect the new technology trends. Every industry has its own set of cleanliness specifications and the focus differs. For example, while NVR has not been an automotive industry issue until now, it has been crucial for the semiconductor and the disk drive industries for years. Trace contaminants are not acceptable in the carbide, optics and ophthalmic industries, as they may cause adhesion failures in a multi-coating process that follows cleaning.
For obvious reasons, absolutely clean surfaces are an extremely critical requirement in cleaning medical devices. Concern about particles has become a common denominator among all industries.
It's no wonder that more industries are demanding Crest Ultrasonics precision cleaning equipment and solutions
Crest Ultrasonics is a leading provider of precision cleaning equipment. We partner with companies around the world to develop innovative cleaning systems, products, and solutions.
Our advanced ultrasonic cleaning equipment is known for its quality, long-lasting performance, and precision cleaning results. Industry leaders depend upon our aqueous and solvent systems for their cleaning applications — including medical, automotive, aerospace, electronics, optical, cosmetics, and many more.
You can also depend upon our technologies and wet-process expertise to solve your light or heavy-duty cleaning demands. Our sales, service, and engineering teams can support your planning, design, testing, startup, and on-going requirements for virtually any cleaning need.
We are committed to providing you with the best-in-class products, service, and precision cleaning solutions — any customer, in any industry, anywhere in the world.
