Your Ultrasonic Parts Cleaner Check List
When it comes to "cleaning parts" most backyard mechanics, DIY folks and professionals running a business have a number of choices. This post explains why an ultrasonic parts cleaner best meets your cleaning challenges regardless of size or quantity of parts you are cleaning, and provides examples of where they are put to work.
Ultrasonic Parts Cleaning - A Growing Market
According to Stratis Research, "The global ultrasonic cleaning market was valued at USD 1.51 billion in 2023. It is estimated to reach USD 2.63 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period (2024–2032)."
The report states ultrasonic cleaning "sound waves create microscopic cavitation bubbles in the solution, which rapidly implode, producing powerful cleaning action. This process effectively removes contaminants such as dirt, grease, oil, and other residues from surfaces and intricate components that are difficult to clean using traditional methods."
Why You Should Consider an Ultrasonic Parts Cleaner
Cleaning parts, whether new or refurbished, can represent a significant amount of time and, without the proper equipment, can be quite unpleasant.
High pressure solvent spray tanks, hand-held aerosol sprays, manual scrubbing using flammable solvents and other alternatives - besides yielding sometimes unsatisfactory results - can be neither environmentally, health nor safely friendly.
Why Ultrasonic Parts Cleaners Work so Well
Our post ultrasonic cleaning, an in-depth look gets into more detail on the topic.
Ultrasonic parts washers are offered in a variety of sizes from tabletop units holding under a gallon to industrial units holding multiple gallons of ultrasonic cleaning solution (examples provided below).
And because most ultrasonic cleaners are equipped with timers, you can load the unit with parts, set the timer and attend to other matters while cavitation action does the job.
Specifying your Ultrasonic Parts Cleaner
Know Your Requirements
The number and size of parts you'll be cleaning, as well as the degree of contamination to be removed, serve as a guide to the type of unit you'll need.
If your requirements are minimal, we suggest considering the Elmasonic E+ series available in cleaning solution capacities from .25 to 7.5 gallons.
Additional features found in the Elmasonic Select series, offered in 11 tank sizes from 0.75 to 24 gallons, include 5 ultrasonic modes to optimize parts cleaning, sample preparation and solvent degassing plus the ability to store up to 5 commonly used programs.
Dual-frequency cleaning at 37 and 80 kHz is among the features offered in the Elmasonic P series in 6 tank sizes from 0.75 gal to 7.5 gallons.
Should your parts be heavily contaminated and require long-term cycles a suggestion is an Elmasonic xtra TT unit in 4 tank sizes from 0.8 to 4.8 gallons.
Elma xtra TT ultrasonic parts washers feature heavy-duty stainless steel cleaning solution tanks that can be used continuously up to 8 hours a day. Operating at 37 kHz, they have a permanent sweep mode to assure uniform cleaning and a switchable dynamic mode to increase peak ultrasonic performance.
If your ultrasonic parts cleaning operations are large scale, take a look at the floor mounted Elmasonic xtra ST series in 7 tank sizes with cleaning solution capacities from 8 to 67 gallons. These units can operate up to 8 hours a day at 25 kHz for heavily soiled parts or 45 kHz for finer cleaning.
Positioning Parts in an Ultrasonic Washer
For maximum cleaning efficiency position parts to allow maximum exposure to sonication. Ideally, they should be positioned in a single layer. Otherwise, parts above the bottom layer will experience diminished cavitation cleaning action.
Avoid Potential Surface Damage
Sonic vibration in a ultrasonic parts cleaning basket will cause parts to vibrate against each other and against wire mesh cleaning baskets. This vibration can damage highly finished or machined surfaces.
If finishes are highly critical ask us about a silicon nap mat or polycarbonate plate that fits on the bottom of the basket.
Ultrasonic Cleaning Complex Shapes
Parts with machined holes should be placed so the holes are vertical or diagonal in the bath. This allows contaminants to fall out as they are blasted away by sonic action.
Blind holes can trap air prohibiting cleaning solution entry. If parts contain blind holes they must be positioned and repositioned as necessary to remove trapped air before cleaning. Remove the cleaning basket from the tank before repositioning parts.
Selecting your Ultrasonic Parts Cleaning Solution
A variety of cleaning solution chemistries have been formulated to solve specific cleaning challenges.
A widely used cleaning solution formulation is elma tec clean A4 used on engine parts, metals, glass and ceramics to remove oil, grease, combustion residues and other contaminants. Biodegradable, it is diluted to 2 to 5% with water, making it extremely economical for an ultrasonic parts cleaner.
For information on this product and other options for your ultrasonic parts cleaner please check our list of ultrasonic cleaning chemicals. Another resource is our post on selecting an ultrasonic cleaning solution.
Maintaining your Ultrasonic Parts Washer Solution
Contaminants removed during ultrasonic cleaning remain in the solution and will impact performance over time.
Contaminants that float to the top should be skimmed off and set aside for later disposal. Spray bars and weirs are available on larger tanks to perform this task.
Solid particles that drop to the bottom should be removed after the spent solution is drained. They can also be removed by filtering systems available for larger tanks.
Follow local regulations when disposing of spent solutions and skimmed off contaminants. Take time to clean the tank following the user manual. Then fill and degas fresh solution to continue your cleaning operations.
Ultrasonic Parts Cleaner Applications
- Ultrasonic energy is unsurpassed in terms of speed and thoroughness when it comes to removing dried grease, varnishes and other contaminants from gasoline engine carbs, fuel lines and other critical components at lawn & garden centers.
- Operators offering engine maintenance services at marinas rely on the thoroughness of sonic cleaning to quickly and completely remove deposits of grease, rust, carbon, varnish and other contaminants from outboard motor carburetors, pumps, crankshafts, gears and other components with the added advantage of minimal disassembly.
- While several methods for cleaning fuel injectors are on the market, an ideal method is simply immersing the injectors in an ultrasonic cleaning solution and let ultrasonic energy do the job.
- Ultrasonic parts cleaning eliminates risking damage that can result from manually removing post-molding contaminants such as flashing, grease and other residues from costly plastic injection molds.
- Cleaning once-fired brass cartridge casings prior to reloading.
- Ultrasonic parts cleaners are available in a variety of sizes suitable for clock repair shops and hobbyists.
Questions? Call or Chat With Us
The cleaning experts at iUltrasonic are available to discuss equipment, processes, and cleaning solution formulations to meet your ultrasonic parts cleaner requirements.
