Property of Ultrasonic Power Corporation -
© 2017
Publication #170119-jsw
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8. Techniques for Optimizing Cleaning Results
There are seven factors related to successful ultrasonic cleaning:
1
Time
2
Temperature
3
Chemistry
4
Proximity to the transducer/part fixture design
5
Ultrasonic output frequency
6
Watts per gallon
7
Loading - the volume (configuration) of the part being cleaned
TIME:
Typical cleaning times may vary tremendously - how dirty is the part and how clean is clean. As
a place to start, a normal trial period is two to ten minutes, since very few parts are sufficiently
clean within a few seconds. Pre-cleaning may be required to remove gross contamination or to
chemically prepare the parts for a final clean. Some applications require more than one
ultrasonic cleaning stage to complete the required cleaning. Ultrasonic agitated rinsing is
required in some cases to more thoroughly remove the wash chemicals.
TEMPERATURE/CHEMISTRY:
Temperature and chemistry are closely related. Generally, ultrasonic cleaning in an aqueous
solution is optimum at 140 degrees °F. Some high pH solutions will require the temperature to be
higher to enhance the synergistic effect of the chemistry. Check the specifications of your
chemical with the manufacturer.
