Products Finishing magazine is the No. 1 industrial finishing publication in the world. We keep our readers informed about the latest news and trends in plating, painting, powder coating, anodizing, electrocoating, parts cleaning, and pretreatment.
Issue link: https://pf.epubxp.com/i/742284
are the only ones with ultra- sonic emitters on the sides rather than the bottom, where the waves don't neces- sarily hit the tools," he says. This direct pathway produces direct results in terms of a faster cleaning cycle. Tru-Edge has reduced cycle time from 10 minutes to 3 minutes. That reduc- tion, coupled with a larger cleaning tank, allows more parts to be cleaned per hour and helps with turnaround for the coating department. It also yields a six-month payback for this capital invest- ment, based on labor savings. Not only is the cleaning faster, the side-mounted ultrasonics with agitation/oscil- lation also significantly outperform the company's previous ultrasonic pre-cleaner. Balster compares the reduced levels of contaminants in the detergents and tanks of the company's finish cleaner, which is expensive to own and operate. Reduction in contaminant loading means that the cleaning solutions last longer. While data is still being gathered and numbers crunched, preliminary figures indicate that the final-machine cleaning f luid lasts nearly twice as long, providing an additional cost savings and shorter payback for the UltraSonic LLC machine. Balster estimates that cleaning is probably 300 to 400 percent better in a third of the time. How Ultrasonics Work Ultrasonic cleaning is a precision parts cleaning technology that uses high-frequency sound waves to remove dirt and contaminants from parts. Micron-size bubbles are formed from the alternating pressure waves generated from the high- energy transducers. Energy is transferred to and stored within these bubbles. As the bubbles contact the parts to be cleaned, they implode, releasing the stored energy and creating a micro jet, with a kind of scrubbing action that dislodges contaminants from the parts. Dirt, oils, and other dislodged contaminants then settle to the bottom of the tank. The process of formation and collapse/implosion of these tiny bubbles is called cavitation, and is common to all ultrasonic cleaners. What is unique about the UltraSonic LLC technology is the placement of the transducers on the side of the tank rather than the bottom. Side-mounting the transducers provides a consistent cleaning action from top to bottom, with no "blind spots." A V-shaped bottom allows the dirt to collect there without interfering in the transducer's wave path and contributes to easy cleaning. The system that Tru-Edge uses has a 24-gallon main tank, a 6-gallon weir tank, and a working depth of 14 inches. The agitation table capacity of 100 pounds is more than sufficient for the varied sized batches of tooling and parts that the company cleans. Working from 120V and drawing just 18 amps, the system could be easily accommodated by the existing electrical system. Compact machine dimensions (45"L × 28.5"W × 33"H) allow it to easily fit into existing shop space with a minimal footprint. Digital touch controls are designed for easy operation with automatic ultrasonic, agitation and filtration cycles. A 7-day heat and auxiliary timer allows programming to suit production requirements as needed. Everything in Its Place Ultrasonic cleaning technology, and the cavitation that is key to its success, has been around for decades. However, as Balster and his Tru-Edge team found, different machine designs have their own unique aspects. Tru-Edge is reaping the benefits of patience and diligence during its search for a better pre-cleaner. The UltraSonic LLC machine is removing more of the oils and contaminants than ever before, and it is removing that burden from the expensive heated vacuum ultrasonic cleaner. Additionally, faster turnaround time in the pre-cleaner and final cleaner has helped turnaround time in the coating department, further streamlining operations. "We're removing a lot more of the gunk with these units so that our more expensive cleaner can do a better job," Balster says. "Together they're turning out a superior product in less time." Drastically reducing cycle times and greater cleaning effi- ciencies are allowing this very busy plant to maintain high production levels and high-quality standards without sacri- ficing margins. Clearly it's not "the same old grind" here at Tru-Edge. For more information from UltraSonic LLC, call 513-502- 9746 or visit ultrasonicllc.com. Side placement of the trans- ducers helps to reduce the effect of blind spots. The V-shaped bottom of the unit allows dirt to collect out of the way of the wave path. PRODUCTS FINISHING — PFonline.com 29 THE VOICE OF FINISHING 80 YEARS PARTS CLEANING