Buyers Guide – 10 Things You Need to Know Before Buying an Ultrasonic Cleaner

Buyers Guide – 10 Things You Need to Know Before Buying an Ultrasonic Cleaner:September 2018 – KDW MACTECH (KDW), Inc., a world-leading provider of automated assembly products, parts, and consumable items

A little search in the web will convince first-time buyers of an ultrasonic cleaner that the selection seems almost endless and with prices and features [all over the map." Those looking to replace their ultrasonic cleaner may also be confused by the array of features available and have cause to wonder what they really need for their ultrasonic cleaning procedures. This post will help ease feature selection by letting you focus in on what you really need to do your job – cleaning parts or doing sample preparations.

10 Things you must know before buying your new Ultrasonic Cleaner:

1. Choose the correct dimensions of the ultrasonic cleaner tank for your specific needs.

Put another way, how large are the parts being cleaned or the number of samples processed? Measure the dimensions of largest parts to be cleaned (or number of flasks or beakers to be processed) and make sure to select a tank that will accommodate them. In addition, pay attention to the internal dimensions of the parts or sample baskets. Baskets are discussed below.

You`ll also need to know the working depth of the cleaning fluid as it relates to the size of parts you`re cleaning. The working depth is the distance from the inside bottom surface of the basket to the surface of the liquid in a filled tank. It`s important because parts being cleaned must be fully immersed in the liquid. Sample prep, on the other hand, may require less depth because the entire container need not be immersed in the solution. (Special units are designed for sample prep operations.)

Product specs for benchtop ultrasonic cleaners may not include this information. If they do not, feel free to contact the manufacturer or supplier for this information. On the other hand manufacturers of large industrial tanks often report both tank depth and working depth.

2. What is your purpose for using an Ultrasonic Cleaner? Are you cleaning or are you processing samples?

Put another way, what is it you are doing? Ultrasonic cleaners do a lot more than clean parts such as gears, carburetors, PCB boards and surgical instruments. In the lab they are broadly employed to degas solvents, disperse nanoparticles, and emulsify, dissolve, disperse and otherwise prepare lab samples.

If you are cleaning parts, to get started you need to consider the following before making a selection:

Identify what type of contamination to be removed; there`s a big difference, as you can imagine, between removing coolant from machined parts, varnish deposits from a carburetor, ink from printing rolls, and blood and tissue residues from the surgical instruments.

Know the composition of the product being cleaned; different parameters apply to cleaning aircraft engine components and glass capillaries. You`ll need compatible cleaning solution and ultrasonic cleaning frequency.

How will the parts be used after cleaning? How do you define [clean"? Will you be cleaning batches or individual parts? What is the component size and weight?

Once you define exactly what you`re trying to accomplish the following points will help narrow down your equipment selection. Then it`s time to contact Mactech for specific recommendations. You can visit us at www.ai-part.com and www.smtsplicetape.com, or you can send your inquiries to sales@ai-part.com.

3. Add Baskets to your Spec Sheet.

Ultrasonic cleaner baskets and accessories

Baskets support parts and sample containers in an ultrasonic cleaner. They affect cleaning and sample processing efficiency and, importantly, protect tanks from damage.

Baskets with insulated handles facilitate placing and removing parts being cleaned in hot liquid. They also keep parts, flasks and beakers off the tank bottom where they suppress vibration and lower cleaning effectiveness.

In terms of tank life, keep in mind that the bottom of the tank is a vibrating membrane. Any solid item, particularly a metal part, can act as a drill while the ultrasound is operating. Over time this can wear a hole in the tank. That`s a good enough reason to use baskets.

Some baskets hang on the tank rim; others are equipped with rubber-coated feet positioned near the corners of the tank bottom where vibration is at a minimum. Fine mesh baskets for small parts can be positioned in beakers or standard baskets.

4. How to Specify Ultrasonic Frequency.

Ultrasonic frequency is produced by generator-powered transducers bonded to the bottom of the tank. They vibrate in kilohertz (kHz or thousands of cycles per second) above the hearing range, which is approximately 20 kHz.

Most ultrasonic cleaners operate between 35 and 45 kHz. This frequency range is well suited to the vast majority of cleaning tasks. Sample prep is often accomplished with units operating at 37 kHz.

A lower frequency such as 25 kHz produces larger cavitation bubbles. When these bubbles implode they release a larger amount of cleaning energy. For coarse cleaning such as removal of lapping abrasives or polishing paste, a lower frequency will be more effective.

Note that the lower the frequency, the louder the cleaning operation. Sound-deadening tank lids with insulation are a good idea when operating at 25 kHz.

A higher frequency produces smaller cavitation bubbles. These cover fine featured complex surfaces more thoroughly and are gentler than low frequencies. For fine cleaning of very delicate jewelry, electronics, and soft metals with polished surfaces consider a unit operating at 80 – 130 kHz. If you are cleaning capillary tubes or spectrophotometer cuvettes you will need a unit that operates at 80 kHz or higher.

If you are cleaning a variety of materials consider a dual-frequency ultrasonic cleaner.

5. Does your ultrasonic cleaning call for a heated cleaning solution?

MKS Series Ultrasonic Cleaner is an effective machine to many cleaning tasks. This makes cleaning time faster and more efficient when using a heated solution. For example, a hot cleaning solution is best for removing oils, machining coolants and a whole host of other contaminants from just about any surface you can think of.

If this is the case for your requirements you can improve throughput by using ultrasonic cleaners with thermostat-controlled heaters.

6. The Pulse Mode Boosts Ultrasonic Power

If you are cleaning products with particularly tenacious contaminants specify an ultrasonic cleaner equipped with a pulse mode. Pulse mode boosts ultrasonic power 20% on some models to remove stubborn contaminants.

7. Understanding Ultrasonic Power

When an ultrasonic cleaner is running electrical power is consumed evenly but it is released in intervals to create the sound waves that shape the ultrasonic signal. Some manufacturers report ultrasonic peak power, others report average power, and some report both. When comparing equipment you must compare based on the same criterion otherwise you`d be comparing apples with oranges.

While more power usually indicates faster and more effective cleaning, more power is not always better. Too much power can damage electronic parts, the surface finish on a soft metal (e.g. aluminum), and other delicate items. For cleaning extremely sensitive items, adjustable power is a useful feature.

Keep in mind that the larger the volume of solution, the more ultrasonic power will be needed for cleaning. Most cleaners run at an average power of 50 to 100 watts per gallon, so the larger the tank the more power you need.

Don`t attempt to increase the effective power of an ultrasonic cleaner by under-filling the tank. Ultrasonic cleaner generators that power transducers are tuned to a particular fill level. Operating the unit with less fluid can damage the generator and will result in less than optimized cleaning.

8. Selecting Ultrasonic Cleaner Accessories

A variety of accessories are available to support the use of ultrasonic cleaners. Blending, dissolving and dispersing are facilitated when suspending samples in a water bath with a surfactant. Use Erlenmeyer flask holders, flask clamps, test tube holders or specially designed lids to hold beakers.

Beakers and beaker holders are also useful when cleaning small parts with volatile media. If high bath temperatures are a concern a cooling coil attached to a cold water line serves as a heat exchanger to prevent the bath from overheating. See our post on accessories for more on this topic.

9. Selecting the right MKS Series Ultrasonic cleaning machine for your specific needs.

The MKS Series Ultrasonic Machine is a collection of different models of the Ultrasonic Cleaning Machine. MKS Series Ultrasonic Cleaning Machines offers various machine dimensions to suit different needs or cleaning requirements. The main cleaning part of MKS Series Ultrasonic Cleaning Machines is made of durable Industrial plate and professional industrial transducer (head). Its case is made of High Quality Stainless Steel Material. Check our Product Catalog and find the appropriate Ultrasonic Cleaning Machine for your needs. Contact us to learn more about MKS Series Ultrasonic Cleaning Machines.

The MKS Series Ultrasonic Machine is a collection of different models different sizes of the Ultrasonic Cleaning Machine.

Available in the following machine dimensions;

400 * 300 * 380 (mm)

430 * 350 * 380 (mm)

600 * 350 * 380 (mm)

600 * 350 * 480 (mm)

650 * 400 * 580 (mm)

700 * 500 * 720 (mm)

10. Choose your MKS Ultrasonic Cleaner now.

For more information, please visit us at;

www.smtsplicetape.com

www.ai-part.com