Parts Cleaning Services
You may have heard the expression, “This runs like a well-oiled machine.” When it comes to parts cleaning, well-oiled doesn’t mean greasy or gunky! With the parts cleaning service at MSW, we offer industrial ultrasonic cleaning and Millipore testing for parts in the automotive, marine, motorcycle, power generation, and heavy equipment industries. Many businesses in all industries find it challenging to clean their equipment, especially if there is a large volume of parts or the industry is not mechanical. In that case, many businesses will reach out to parts cleaning services to ensure that their parts and machinery meet a cleanliness spec and be returned in full working order.
In other instances, parts need to be cleaned thoroughly before they are shipped as part of meeting a cleanliness specification in the supply chain. At MSW, parts are cleaned in a state-of-the-art robotic six-station ultrasonic cleaning system with a spray-over immersion rinse and recirculating hot air dryer. Parts are then individually packaged to avoid cross-contamination and are ready for immediate assembly after cleaning and Millipore testing. Professionally cleaned and tested parts add value to the supply chain before they even leave the warehouse.
Many different types of parts can be cleaned in the MSW six-stage ultrasonic cleaning system. MSW also utilizes a rust inhibitor metering system for post-cleaning to prevent rust and keep the parts in like-new condition. An investment has been made in preventive care for cleaning parts and using passivating agents with care to prevent rusting of metal parts when exposed. Many different parts can be cleaned in the MSW machine, including metal, glass, plastic, aluminum, cast iron, or ceramic parts. The parts are placed into a customized basket, rack, or cleaning tray to be placed inside the machine and led through all six stages. The containment mechanism for the parts is designed to keep them safe and to ensure that all surfaces of the part are cleaned and sanitized thoroughly.
Industrial Ultrasonic Cleaning
Industrial ultrasonic cleaning is the best way to remove dirt, dust, rust, grime, or other unclean particles from machinery parts. Ultrasonic cleaning services are often used for any nonporous inorganic thing – it’s not always heavy machinery equipment. Ultrasonic cleaning is also a very popular method of cleaning jewelry! It’s sensitive enough for smaller objects like rings but tough enough and thorough enough to shake years-old rust right off of large machinery parts for cars, motorcycles, factory machines, and more.
Parts with small grooves, cracks, crevices, and pivots can be nearly impossible to clean manually, by hand, or with other cleaning tools. Metal cleaning services such as an ultrasonic cleaning company can use an ultrasonic cleaning machine to reach all surfaces of a part and get it thoroughly cleaned. Many ultrasonic cleaning machines can work with plain old water, but for a clean that goes the extra mile, water-based detergents or solvents such as IPA, acetone, or toluene can be used.
Nearly every kind of metal can be cleansed and sanitized through ultrasonic cleaning. Aluminum can also be cleaned using an ultrasonic cleaning machine, contrary to a common misconception that says otherwise. Ultrasonic cleaning systems can handle nearly any type of metal, from aluminum to stainless steel and magnesium. Even more delicate or sensitive metals, such as brass and titanium, can be cleaned and sterilized in an ultrasonic cleaning system, given that a compatible and appropriate detergent is used. Another common misconception about ultrasonic cleaning is that it “shakes” dirt, dust, and grime loose from the part being cleaned. Although it may look that way to the naked eye, ultrasonic cleaning machines create small bubbles on the surface of the part that dislodge the muck and sweep it away from the surface as they rise. This fact is what makes ultrasonic cleaning so safe for many types of nonporous metals.
Millipore Cleanliness Testing
Millipore cleanliness testing works by applying a solvent solution to the part. Debris is then collected on a Millipore testing pad. The solution is then baked off the Millipore pad in a Millipore cleanliness testing equipment oven. The pad is then weighed, and its weight is determined within a fourth of a milligram to determine how much debris remains after baking. A testing specialist will then use a highly specialized and accurate microscope to determine particle size. Millipore testing is a way of verifying part cleanliness by measuring the presence of solid debris and other non-soluble contaminants on machinery parts. When a company selects a business for parts cleaning, especially if they work with specialized equipment such as an ultrasonic cleaning system, it may be helpful to know if they also offer a Millipore service. Having both of these services, the parts cleaning service and the cleaning verification (Millipore testing) conducted under the same roof is efficient and can speed up the overall process of moving on to the next step in the supply chain.
The Millipore test method, in general, works like this: specialized Millipore test equipment gathers debris particles from liquid suspension and strains it through a filter (the Millipore test pad). The filter is then dried (often through baking) and weighed in an effort to determine ultimate cleanliness and other insights. Millipore cleanliness is highly important to overall parts cleanliness, as many industries must meet a cleanliness standard with their parts. Millipore testing is a valuable part of the quality control, assurance, and supply chain process. Dirty parts can lead to machinery inefficiencies, safety concerns, and a shortened machine lifespan. While ultrasonic cleaning plays a huge role in removing the risk of those inefficiencies and dangers, Millipore testing is conducted to make certain that the part is, in fact, completely clean.
Industrial Parts Cleaning Services
Industrial parts cleaning services are an essential part of the supply chain to make sure that parts are clean before assembly. Clean parts ensure that machines run smoothly, safely, efficiently, and last for a long time. Dirty parts can promote accelerated wear and tear on the machine, leading to accidents, breakdowns, or in extreme cases, even human harm. Industrial component cleaning can be done in many ways, but the most effective way seems to be ultrasonic cleaning. Of all the industrial parts cleaning methods, ultrasonic cleaning systems can reach every crack, crevice, and nook of a part. Very rare conditions may make a part unsuitable for ultrasonic cleaning, such as blind or deeply threaded holes.
It is possible to do industrial part cleaning for many different parts in many industries. Pre-cleaning is not required for ultrasonic cleaning, but a hot cleaning method can assist in creating the cleanest parts possible and reducing debris results on a Millipore test. Industrial parts cleaning is done to remove dust, fibers, oils, metal chips, fines, soot, and more from parts.
If an industrial parts cleaning service also offers other services, such as warehousing, packaging, assembly, kitting, parts sorting, and fulfillment, it may be possible to have a complete supply chain solution with just one partnership. Parts cleaning services are especially handy in conjunction with packaging, kitting, and assembly. Freshly cleaned parts are ready for assembly immediately after the confirmation of cleanliness, so a partnership offering more than one service can shorten lead times and directly benefit customers.
There are various industrial parts cleaning methods, including ultrasonic cleaning, vapor degreasing, solvent cleaning, acoustic cleaning, pretreatments, and aqueous cleaning. Different kinds of parts for different industries may react differently to different kinds of methods, so it’s important to know the strengths and limitations of each kind before choosing a specialized industrial parts cleaning service.
Aqueous Cleaning Services
Aqueous cleaning services use water-based cleaning agents instead of chemical- or solvent-based agents. Aqueous parts cleaning systems may be mentioned in the same breath as ultrasonic cleaning systems, but it may be important to remember the subtle differences. While every aqueous cleaning system is likely ultrasonic, not every ultrasonic cleaner is aqueous. Many different kinds of detergents, solvents, and cleaning agents can be used in an ultrasonic cleaning system. However, only water-based detergents can be used for aqueous ultrasonic cleaning systems. Utilizing any other cleaning agent or detergent will not likely yield the same results and can damage the machine.
There are a few things to consider when determining what sort of detergent should be used in an ultrasonic cleaning system. The first is the type of soil to be removed. There are two types of aqueous solutions. Acidic aqueous solutions can remove rust, scale, and oxides from metals. Alkaline aqueous solutions can remove salts, oxides, organic solutions, metal chips, and grease. Alkaline solutions are typically more common in metal parts cleaning. However, there’s not usually a reason that both can’t be used in tandem. Aqueous parts cleaners are thought to be more human-friendly and better for the environment, the part, and the people handling the part and machinery. This is because long-term exposure to solvents that are not water-based can be detrimental to people's and the environment's health. Many aqueous cleaning solutions are also biodegradable, which is not the case for chemical cleaning solvents.
Aqueous cleaning is very common in the industrial parts cleaning industry. However, there are a lot of factors that determine what kind of solution should be used. Some of those factors might be cleanliness requirements, part geometry, energy demands, environmental factors, health and safety concerns, waste disposal, soil to be removed, and the total cost. Aqueous cleaning solutions are generally thought of to be cost-efficient and safer for the people, the part, and the environment.