Ultrasonic Cleaners
How to use an Ultrasonic Cleaner for Vehicle Transmissions
Automobile transmission service companies, rebuilders and backyard mechanics can save a tremendous amount of time by using ultrasonic cleaning to remove dirt, grease, metal shavings and other deposits from valves, valve body casings and other intricate components. Potentially harmful solvent-based parts washers and aerosol sprays cannot compare with the cavitation cleaning action of an industrial or tabletop ultrasonic cleaner using biodegradable ultrasonic cleaning solutions, some of which are available with rust inhibitors.
How it Works
Regardless of size, all ultrasonic cleaning systems operate on the same general principal. Biodegradable cleaning solutions diluted to the manufacturers’ recommendations are added to the cleaning tank to the fill line. Attached to the tank are ultrasonic transducers tuned to specific ultrasonic frequencies such as 37 kHz (37,000 cycles per second). The transducers are driven by an ultrasonic generator affixed to the unit.… Read the rest
Ultrasonic Cleaning Options for Plastic Injection Molds
Injection-molded plastic parts are everywhere a part of our daily life. Polymers in a variety of formulations are used to produce these components by being injected into intricately designed molds and subjected to heat and pressure. Because molds represent substantial investments they must be cleaned on a regular basis. Ultrasonic cleaners are recognized across the injection molding industry as a safe, thorough alternative to manual scrubbing, which is a time-consuming process that can damage highly finished mold surfaces while missing contaminants in blind holes, cavities, cores and pins.
The contaminants produced by injection molding operations are tenacious. Examples include flashing, mold release compound, burned-on plastic residues, carbonization and vent outgas residue that if not safely removed will quickly shorten mold life.
The solution is the powerful cavitation action of an ultrasonic cleaner that creates millions of minute bubbles in an ultrasonic cleaning bath comprised of water and a biodegradable ultrasonic … Read the rest
Ultrasonic Cleaners for Medical & Surgical Instruments
Medical and surgical instruments in a variety of sizes and complexity can pose challenges when it comes to cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing them after use. An ultrasonic cleaner is an ideal tool for the first step in this three step process to protect medical personnel and patients from possible infection due to pathogens that remain on the instruments after a procedure.
The Ultrasonic Principle
Ultrasonic cleaners work on the principle of cavitation whereby ultrasonic transducers create billions of minute air bubbles in an ultrasonic cleaning solution. These implode with violent force when they come in contact with objects placed in the solution and strip away contaminants without damaging the objects. When medical and surgical instruments are properly prepared for the ultrasonic cleaning step the process is fast, thorough and efficient.
Pre-prep is important, according to the Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Recommended Practices Committee, which states that “initial instrument … Read the rest
When to Use an Elmasteam Industrial Steam Jet Cleaner
Compact industrial steam jet cleaners such as the 3- and 5-liter Elmasteam 3000 and Elmasteam 5000 models available from Tovatech contribute to quality control in manufacturing and preassembly operations by removing dirt, grease, oil and other contaminants. These steam cleaners are ideal because they allow operators to direct the steam precisely where needed using either unit-mounted, foot-pedal controlled steam jets or a flexible hose with an on-off switched steam jet nozzle mounted at the end.
Another advantage of a steam jet industrial cleaner is that it can use tap water and does not require the use of chemicals. In addition to cost-saving benefits, this feature eliminates the need for multiple rinsing steps that might be required to remove chemical residues from the cleaned parts.
Elmasteam industrial steam jet cleaner pressure is adjustable up to 8 bar (116 psi), is very dry and delivered at approximately 320˚F. A wet steam option … Read the rest
Jet Steam Cleaner for Medical Instruments is Fast & Effective
Surgical instruments with complex design, shape or construction may trap contaminants that are not removed by conventional thermal disinfection procedures, thereby posing a health risk to medical personnel and patients alike. Medical instrument steam jet cleaners such as Elmasteam, available from Tovatech, have proven effective in Central Sterile Supply Departments (CSSD) for cleaning otherwise inaccessible areas prior to thermal disinfection and sterilization.
Fast, Effective, Selective Steam Cleaning
Using tap or distilled water to deliver dry or wet steam jets at pressures to 8 bar (116 psi) Elmasteam 3000 and Elmasteam 5000 medical steam cleaners allow personnel to pre-clean quickly, effectively and precisely otherwise inaccessible areas such as the interior of surgical reamers or implant tools before they are placed into the thermal disinfector. They deliver uninterrupted steam feeds at approximately 160˚C (320˚F) with minimum pressure loss during continuous operation such as in a hospital’s CCSD. Table mounted, they … Read the rest
Boost Efficiency with an Ultrasonic Cleaner
Here’s a note from a Tovatech customer:
In my shop selecting the correct ultrasonic frequency to employ when operating the ultrasonic cleaner depends on the items being cleaned and what is being removed. Coarse cleaning to remove heavy contaminants is generally best performed at lower frequencies such as 37 kHz because it delivers stronger cavitation action. Fine cleaning requirements use higher frequencies such as 80 kHz to create smaller, relatively gentle cavitation bubbles that more easily penetrate blind holes, threads, tight crevices and tubes.
It’s not unusual for us to get jobs that call for both coarse and fine cleaning on the same part. Sure, there are dual-frequency cleaners out there but for the most part they require manually switching frequencies from one to the other. And there are other variables we need to take into account depending on the objects being cleaned, all of which require close attention on … Read the rest
Get 20% Faster Cleaning with New Industrial Ultrasonic Cleaner
Companies offering contract ultrasonic cleaning services and those using an industrial ultrasonic cleaner as part of their ongoing operations know the importance of efficiency and throughput especially when thoroughly cleaned components are critical to quality control.
A technological breakthrough in ultrasonic cleaner design has been achieved by adding a precise ± 2 cm vertical oscillation of cleaning baskets – a process that improves ultrasonic cavitation action to near perfection. A feature of the new Flex Line of industrial ultrasonic cleaners from Tovatech, it provides 10% – 20% faster cleaning than conventional ultrasonic cleaners. Cleaning with vertical oscillation is more thorough than static cleaning and is preferred for precision cleaning applications where small areas of residual contamination are unacceptable and reduce manufacturing yields.… Read the rest
How to Choose Your Next Ultrasonic Cleaner – A Checklist
Ultrasonic cleaning is increasingly being used across a broad spectrum of industries thanks to the advent of biodegradable cleaning solutions and the development of vastly improved ultrasonic cleaning equipment. No other cleaning method is as fast and as efficient as ultrasonic cavitation for removing any and all contaminants from parts or assemblies, regardless of the complexity of configuration.
Ultrasonic cleaners range from small tabletop units for cleaning jewelry and eyewear to custom multi-step automated assembly lines such as used for cleaning mobile thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal displays for mass production.
At Tovatech we are delighted to help customers and prospects decide on which ultrasonic cleaner and what ultrasonic cleaning solution best matches their ultrasonic cleaning requirements. With the wide variety of sizes and features available today there is sure to be an ultrasonic cleaner and process that suits users’ requirements to a “T.”
To help make the selection, … Read the rest
Ultrasonic Gun & Handcuff Cleaner a Boon for Law Enforcement
Equipment used in law enforcement applications must be maintained for the health and safety of officers as well as suspects taken into custody. Because of its speed and thoroughness an ultrasonic cleaner is a valuable equipment maintenance tool for police stations and highway patrol barracks.
One piece of equipment used by virtually all law enforcement officers is a set of handcuffs. Handcuffs come into direct contact with the skin of suspects and can pick up oils, dirt and hair that might harbor infectious diseases. Handcuff construction is such that these contaminants can lodge in cracks and crevices, which means that a simple washing is unsatisfactory. Cuffs should be given a session in an ultrasonic cleaner before officers put them back into their carrying cases.
A tabletop ultrasonic gun cleaner such as the Elma E 30 … Read the rest
How to Use an Ultrasonic Clock Cleaner
Another interesting note from a customer:
“Don’t knock my smock or I’ll clean your clock” was a panel line in a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon strip. As one who repairs antique clocks I checked the origin of the phrase and found that it usually signifies a violent encounter. Not a good idea when dealing with a customer’s heirloom time keeper.
Most of the clocks I clean and repair have brass works – the gears and frames – along with steel parts such as verges, spindles, spacers and springs. In my early days cleaning these parts after disassembly entailed dipping them into a solvent and using a soft brush to work away grime and dried lubricants. A messy process indeed, and not that satisfactory in terms of results.
An ultrasonic cleaner has proven far more satisfactory, but when using this technology for clocks and watches care must be taken not to … Read the rest
