Is Ultrasonic Cleaning

Equipment Right for

your Business?

Ultrasonic cleaning is the rapid and complete

removal of contaminants from objects, achieved

by immersion in a tank of liquid which is then

flooded with high frequency sound waves. These

non-audible sound waves create a scrubbing

brush action within the fluid, brought about by

high frequency electrical energy that is

converted by a transducer into high frequency

sound waves – ultrasonic energy.

Ultrasonic energy enters the liquid within the tank and causes the rapid formation

and collapse of minute bubbles; a phenomenon known as cavitation. The bubbles

travel at high speed within the tank, causing them to implode against the surface

of the immersed item with an enormous release of energy. This gently lifts

contaminants from both the surface and innermost recesses of intricately shaped

parts.

As the bubbles implode and cavitation

occurs, the cleaning solution rushes into the

gap left behind by the bubbles. When the

cleaning solution makes contact with the

item in question, any contaminants, dirt

and tarnishing which are present simply

falls away.

What is ultrasonic cleaning?

How does it work?

Benefits

Ultrasonic cleaning has long been recognised as one of the most effective

methods of deep cleaning for a diverse range of applications. No other aqueous

based method is as fast or efficient at cleaning hard substrates or intricate parts

as ultrasonic cleaning.

Cost effectiveness

Because ultrasonic cleaning utilises detergent compounds in conjunction with

electrically generated sonic energy, the ongoing costs of operating a cleaning

tank are minimal. The unit cost per operation will vary depending on the type of

cleaning compounds used and the items immersed within the tank. Like for like

comparisons with other methods of cleaning demonstrate a significant saving in

the long term on the cost of cleaning materials, equipment, and manpower hours

involved in the procedure.

Ultrasonic cleaning is energy efficient and does not require large applications of

elbow grease, freeing up you and your staff to get on with other tasks while the

ultrasonic cleaner gets to work.

Completed in just 10 minutes

One of the greatest benefits of ultrasonic

cleaning is its ability to clean even

intricate items within a very short time

scale. Ultrasonic cleaning cycles can last

for as little as ten minutes or even less,

which is considerably faster than most

non-solvent based alternatives.

The cleaning process is non-destructive and will produce consistent cleaning results

of the highest standard time after time.

Environmentally friendly

Ultrasonic cleaning is an environmentally friendly and technically feasible alternative

to using cleaning solvents that are ozone depleting and have other undesirable

characteristics. Reduced emissions, biodegradable waste and a safer working

environment are among the many benefits of using an ultrasonic cleaner. The

restrictions imposed by the Solvent Emissions directive have led to more and more

companies using ultrasonic cleaning as an alternative to solvents.

Energy efficient

Ultrasonic cleaning is not only

environmentally friendly, but also

energy efficient. Fast, effective

cleaning using ultrasonic technology

ensures low electricity consumption

like for like with alternative methods,

for cost effective and thorough

cleaning first time with minimal

energy expenditure.

Cleans inaccessible areas

Ultrasonic cleaning is highly effective at reaching inaccessible and hard to clean

areas of items. The microscopic bubbles produced by the ultrasonic energy are easily

able to penetrate screw threads, hinges, hollow tubes, the smallest and most

delicate items.

It is this ability to clean even

the most inaccessible areas

which makes ultrasonic

cleaning the ideal choice for

cleaning complex and intricate

parts manufactured in precision

industries. Ultrasonic cleaning

is able to remove dirt and

contaminants from the most

difficult to access areas with an

effective yet gentle cleaning

action.

Ideal for delicate materials and heavy duty items alike

Ultrasonic cleaning is a gentle, non invasive method of cleaning even delicate items,

and provided you use the correct detergent for the materials in your ultrasonic

cleaner, the likelihood of any damage or degradation occurring is minimal. Ultrasonic

cleaning is non destructive, and is a much safer way to clean and care for fine

materials such as precious metals and precision equipment which can easily become

damaged if manually cleaned using tools and abrasive substances.

Despite the delicate nature of ultrasonic cleaning, the technology is still suitable for

rigorous and robust cleaning of even the most heavily contaminated items. As well

as intricate medical devices and precision engineered components, ultrasonic

cleaning is ideal for processing of heavy duty items such as engine blocks, heat

exchangers and gas turbines.

Flexible

Ultrasonic cleaning can easily be incorporated into almost any applications.

Here are some examples:

Manufacturing Automotive Aerospace Food & beverage Filtration Moulding Pharmaceutical

implants

Maintenance & Servicing Fuel & power Tooling & Defence Food & beverage Oil & gas Heat exchangers

Scientific & Laboratory Research Cell disruption

Healthcare Dental Optical Hospital (Sterile Services) General Practice HTM compliant ultrasonic baths

Veterinary Veterinary surgery

Other popular uses of ultrasonic cleaning Jewellery Tattooist Body piercing Accupuncture Coin cleaning

And many more…

Limitations

Transducer Efficiency

The efficiency of the transducer used in your ultrasonic cleaning tank will affect both

the cleaning time and efficiency achieved during the cleaning cycle. A poor quality

transducer will use more power and take longer to clean items than a good

transducer. This is why Ultrawave has invested a significant amount of time and

money into the development of their transducers, providing you with a benchmark

transducer which offers superior performance.

Contributing Factors

The efficacy and efficiency of the ultrasonic cleaning process is affected by different

factors. Each ultrasonic cleaning system needs to be driven by the appropriate level

of ultrasonic power. Similar to an engine in a car, to deliver optimum results, the

level of ultrasonic power should be determined by the size of the cleaning tank.

As with most cleaning applications, heat acts as a catalyst to the process. Generally

speaking, trying to clean something at 20°C will take considerable longer than

cleaning at 60°C.

The detergent used in the process will affect the cleaning results. Different materials

and contaminants require different detergents and using the incorrect detergent can

even damage some materials.

Furthermore, different applications may need the addition of extra features to the

ultrasonic system to provide the best results. Ultrawave’s Customised Ultrasonic

Systems can incorporate pump and filter systems, deionised water rinses and other

technologies all designed to provide the optimum cleaning results.

Finally, the length of time an item is processed for will affect the results. By

ensuring the system is designed with the specific application in mind, ultrasonic

cleaning can take considerably less time, generating the company more money, day

after day.

Laboratory

Ultrasonic cleaning machines and sonic wave

technology solutions can be found in laboratories

and centres of research excellence in a wide

range of areas including sonochemistry, cell

disruption and mixing technology, scientific and

medical research and much more.

Healthcare

Ultrasonic baths are used in a variety of

professional healthcare settings, when

impeccable cleaning and surgical standard

hygiene are simply not negotiable.

As the first stage in the decontamination

process they are used in a wide range of fields,

including dental, optical and podiatry, general

practice, and hospitals.

Applications

Ultrasonic cleaning tanks and equipment are used in a wide range of industries and

applications.

Manufacturing

Ultrasonic cleaning has a proven track record

in catering for specific needs of individual

client in a wide range of areas such as:

Aerospace

Automotive

Defence

Pharmaceutical industries

Medical devices and orthopaedic implant

providers

Marine and filtration systems

Moulding and fabrications manufacturers,

plating

Surface finishing

Food and beverage industry.

Maintenance and

reconditioning

Ultrasonic cleaning equipment is also the

cleaning method of choice for fine jewellers

and watchmakers, oil, gas and automotive

servicing engineers, the maintenance and

cleaning of automotive parts and the

reconditioning of precision tools, weaponry,

heat exchangers and much more.

Ultrasonic cleaning has long been

recognised as one of the most

effective methods of deep cleaning for

a diverse range of applications. It is

cost effective, energy efficient,

flexible, cleans inaccessible areas and

is ideal for delicate and robust items

alike.

It is successfully used in a wide range

of industries and applications, from

large international conglomerates

right down to small individual

hobbyists and sole traders.

Conclusion

About Ultrawave

Ultrawave has over twenty years of experience in the design and manufacture of

precision ultrasonic cleaning equipment. Our in-house design team work

constantly to push the boundaries of ultrasonic technology in order to provide all

of our clients, large and small, with the very best ultrasonic cleaning equipment

available today.

We have manufactured and sold over 45,000 ultrasonic cleaning systems to

customers throughout the world. The Ultrawave team of engineers, designers and

production technicians are able to interpret your demands and deliver top quality

products to meet any cleaning and processing requirements.

By maintaining complete control over all of our design and production processes,

we can offer the flexibility to meet each individual customer’s requirements and

provide the appropriate cleaning solution for many different markets and

applications.

We are accredited to ISO13485 (Medical Device Manufacturing) and ISO9001

standards, and are committed to ensuring that our products and technological

developments continue to meet the rigorous demands laid out by these

regulations.

On-going investment in research and design ensure that Ultrawave remains at the

head of the pack when it comes to designing and producing the most effective

ultrasonic cleaning equipment available. Our in-house laboratory is at your service

to carry out sample testing and optimisation to make sure that the products which

we supply to you are perfectly calibrated for your own individual requirements.

Contact Ultrawave for more information or a free no obligation initial consultation.