Ultrasonic Cleaning Equipment

Ultrasonic Cleaning Equipment

Ultrasonic cleaning equipment uses sound waves to agitate and remove contaminants from instruments, such as reusable medical devices and components.ultrasonic cleaning equipment Ultrasonic cleaning is powerful enough to penetrate and loosen strongly adhered soils, such as embedded residue from chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) processes, yet gentle enough not to damage most substrates. The power of this cleaning process is based on an effect known as cavitation, which occurs when sound waves cause microscopic bubbles to rapidly form and implode in a solution.

The power of ultrasonic cleaning depends on the frequency, intensity, and number of these tiny bubbles that are formed, expanded, and then imploded.ultrasonic cleaning equipment Ultrasonic generators produce high-frequency electrical signals that transducers convert into vibrations that agitate the cleaning solution. An acoustical property of materials determines whether or not they can conduct these vibrations and allow cavitation to occur. Plastics do not conduct sound waves, while metals such as stainless steel do. For this reason, stainless-steel baskets are typically used to hold instruments in an ultrasonic cleaner.

During the cavitation cycle, a small number of these micron-size bubbles develop on the surfaces to be cleaned.ultrasonic cleaning equipment The alternating positive and negative pressure waves in the cleaning solution create a phenomenon known as "cavitation," which generates a rapid increase in bubble size and temperature. Eventually, the pressure in a bubble becomes so great that it collapses, and this event is called an implosion. The force of this event releases the energy of millions of tiny vapor particles that then disperse and dissolve contamination, as shown in Figure 6.4.

The high-speed jets that result from the implosion of these microscopic bubbles free contaminants from their bonds with substrates such as metals and plastics, as well as loosen debris from hard-to-reach areas. The action of these jets is so intense that they can also remove oxides from hard-to-clean materials, such as glass and ceramics. The combination of these events and the effects of the cleaning chemistry, as described in this chapter, is the basis of ultrasonic cleaning.

In addition to the selection of an appropriate chemistry, there are other factors that need to be taken into consideration when choosing an ultrasonic cleaning system for a specific application. The choice of frequency, intensity, and the temperature of the cleaning solution are important, as are daily maintenance procedures, automation, and load requirements.

For optimal results, the cleaning solution should be optimized for the frequency and power of the ultrasonic generator. The temperature range of the solution is important because enzymatic-based chemistries work less efficiently or not at all when heated above their ideal operating temperatures. In addition, the ultrasonic cleaner should be designed to withstand the high levels of energy generated during the cleaning process. A number of manufacturers of ultrasonic cleaning systems offer laboratory services and technical expertise to assist with the selection of these parameters.

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