Imagine a mountain of greasy, grime-caked parts. Production grinds to a halt. Manual cleaning? Forget it. You need a solution that cuts through the toughest contaminants, fast. That’s where the right industrial ultrasonic cleaner comes in. But “right” isn’t one-size-fits-all. Tank size, frequency, solvent compatibility – the choices can be overwhelming. Let’s cut through the noise and find the ultrasonic powerhouse your business needs.
Your best industrial ultrasonic cleaner is one allowing parts to be fully immersed in the cleaning solution. Check what is called the working depth of an ultrasonic cleaner.
This is defined as the distance between the parts basket bottom or bottom rack and the surface of the cleaning solution. If data sheets do not provide this information ask the vendor.
If you use baskets to hold your parts keep in mind that baskets are slightly smaller than tank internal dimensions. For example, the 3.7-gallon industrial Elma xtra TT 120H benchtop unit has a tank size 11.8 x 9.4 x 7.9 WDH inches. The recommended basket dimensions are 10.6 x 8.4 x 5.3 inches.
How heavy are the parts? This will determine if they (1) are cleaned in baskets (2) are suspended from overhead or (3) rest on racks built into the tank bottom.
Do not overload the bath – efficiency drops off. You’ll get better results when cleaning several smaller batches than one large batch.
Ultrasonic cleaning occurs when billions of microscopic vacuum bubbles implode against surfaces being cleaned to blast loose and carry away contaminants.
Most industrial ultrasonic cleaners operate between 35 and 45 kHz, a range well suited to the vast majority of industrial ultrasonic cleaning tasks.
For small parts requiring long cleaning cycles a good candidate is the 37 kHz benchtop Elma xtra TT series in four tank sizes from 0.79 to 4.8 gallons and designed to operate continuously to 8 hours.
When cleaning a variety of materials consider a dual-frequency ultrasonic cleaner. Large capacity cleaning is accomplished in the Elmasonic xtra ST series in 7 tank sizes from 8 to 67 gallons. These units can be set at 25 kHz for basic cleaning or 45 kHz for fine cleaning.
The best industrial ultrasonic cleaners for very large parts are exemplified by the floor mounted 40 kHz Shiraclean units available in 7 tank capacities from 25 to 204 gallons.
When “off the shelf” units as described above cannot meet your requirements, a customized system can be created with tank dimensions, cleaning cycles, heating and ultrasonic power, electrical power supply, cleaning solutions and accessories based on your specific requirements. The Tovatech engineering team is competent, flexible and quick, designing and building your system in a short time period.
The post how ultrasonic cleaners work explains more on ultrasonic frequency and other key considerations.
An equally critical consideration to help assure thorough cleaning is the proper ultrasonic cleaning solution formulation. These are also called chemicals or soaps.
Today’s biodegradable cleaning solution concentrates are a far cry from the environmentally unfriendly formulas used in the past. Rather than go into detail here we invite you to check our tips on selecting an ultrasonic cleaning solution.
Cleaning solution performance is extended when steps are taken to remove accumulated contaminants dislodged by the cleaning process. Maintenance procedures are described in user manuals.
The Elmasonic xtra ST industrial ultrasonic cleaners offer options to extend cleaning solution effectiveness.
As noted above, most industrial ultrasonic cleaning is accomplished with biodegradable, water-based cleaning solutions. These are formulated for specific cleaning challenges and are describe in the post linked above.
When flammable solvents such as IPA, toluene and acetone are required special care must be taken to avoid the danger of a fire or explosion if spilled solvent or vapors are ignited by sparks from internal electronics or external sources.
If your requirements call for the use of flammable solvents, we invite you to check our post on ultrasonic cleaning with flammable solvents. It describes equipment options you can consider and directs you to other resources on the topic.
Cost-benefit analyses are important to any investment in plant and equipment. When it comes to cleaning industrial parts – or any part for that matter – time saved to achieve desired results is an important consideration.
As a first step we invite you to download the pricing guide offered on our website.
But before making your final decision we encourage you to contact the scientists at Tovatech via the options offered on the same page. We are ready to help you select the best industrial ultrasonic cleaner for your requirements, whether benchtop, floor mounted or custom.
Industrial ultrasonic cleaners can represent a sizeable investment. Here we define these units, what to look for when purchasing, and offer equipment options to help you make the right selection. Included are examples of industrial ultrasonic cleaner applications.
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Industrial ultrasonic cleaners are heavy-duty cleaning systems designed for continuous operation and the effective removal of contaminants from large or numerous parts. The job to be done – not the size of the cleaner or items being cleaned – defines these products.
That’s why industrial units are available in benchtop and floor mounted configurations.
Heavy-duty ultrasonic parts washing usually means long-term (multi-hour) continuous cleaning operation. This calls for capabilities such as heavier gauge stainless steel cleaning tanks, automatic time and temperature safety shutoffs, and other features/benefits described here.
Cleaning tanks are specified by dimensions (length, width, depth) and cleaning solution capacity. Key points to consider when selecting tank capacity:
Large and/or heavy parts can be suspended in the tank or rest on specially constructed supports on tank bottoms offered on certain industrial units.
Ultrasonic cleaning occurs when billions of microscopic vacuum bubbles implode against surfaces being cleaned to blast loose and carry away contaminants.
For more information please check ultrasonic cleaners and how they work.
Unit size and operating frequency are two critical specification criteria. Other features that may be important in helping you do the job most efficiently include:
Should your parts be heavily contaminated and require long-term cycles a suggestion is a 37 kHz Elmasonic xtra TT unit.
The Elmasonic Xtra series of 37 kHz industrial benchtop ultrasonic cleaners is perfect for production lines, workshops and service bays.
When cleaning a variety of materials consider a dual-frequency ultrasonic cleaner. An example is the Elmasonic X-tra ST line.
The X-tra ST line offers optional accessories to pre- and post-rinse products and filter cleaning solutions, both contributing to longer cleaning solution effectiveness.
SHIRACLEAN industrial units available in 7 capacities from 25 to 204 gallons are designed for machine shops, equipment maintenance, solder flux removal, printing, electronics, 3-D mold support and a variety of laboratory applications.
If standard equipment offerings do not satisfy your needs customized units can be constructed to meet your specific requirements. Tovatech scientists are ready to work with you to specify exactly what you need.
Ultrasonic cleaning using volatile solvents such as IPA, acetone and toluene require precautions including meeting local and national regulations to avoid fire and explosions. The SOL XP series of explosion-proof ultrasonic cleaners in 6 tank sizes to 33 gallons help you meet these requirements.
The extent and type of contamination (i.e. dirt, gunk, greases and oils) to be removed may require longer cleaning cycles, pointing to the selection of a heavy-duty ultrasonic cleaner. The following examples provide you with greater detail on when and how these units are used.
Ultrasonic cleaning solution formulations are available to handle a broad range of cleaning challenges. Selecting the correct formulation can make the difference between OK or perfect results. Check our post on specifying ultrasonic cleaning solutions.
Another useful resource is our answers to ultrasonic cleaner frequently asked questions.
Cost-benefit analyses are important to any investment in plant and equipment. When it comes to ultrasonic cleaning industrial parts – or any part for that matter – time saved to achieve desired results is an important consideration.
As a start, download our Pricing Guide offer to get an idea of costs involved.
But before making your final decision we encourage you to call or chat with the scientists at Tovatech. We are ready to help you select the best industrial ultrasonic cleaner for your requirements, whether benchtop or floor mounted.
The company is the world’s best Commercial Benchtop Ulrasonic Cleaner supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.