Ultrasonic Cleaning Carbide - Case Study
Component: Inserts components
Material: Carbide
Contamination prior to cleaning: Iron particles from lapping plate
Process for cleaning Carbide:
Stage 1- Vacukleen 2018 : Vacukleen 2018 was used for the initial wash. A Highly alkaline liquid product, for the complete and rapid removal of grinding compounds and light oils, in ultrasonic processes. Vacukleen 2018 is specifically designed for carbide cleaning. Due to the parts being so small, the beaker system was used. A lid was placed over the Kemet 3 allowing a glass beaker to be suspended in the tank. the beaker contained tap water with a 5% concentration of Vacukleen 2018. The parts were added to the beaker and cleaned for a cycle time of 10 minutes.
| Ultrasonic Cleaner | Cleaning Agent | Temperature(s) | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kemet 6 | VACUKLEEN 2018 | 70°C | 5% |
| Kemet 6 | Tap water | 22°C | 100% |
| Kemet 6 | DI water | 22°C | 100% |
| Kemet 6 | DI water | 22°C | 100% |
| Versa 120 Genius+ Hot air dryer | N/A | 70°C | N/A |
Note: All stages were allowed to reach the required temperature and degas before cleaning.
Stage 2 – Tap water rinse : I used a small closed jewellery cleaning sieve to drain the beaker and catch all the parts ready for rinsing. The part was then rinsed in tap water for 1 minute to remove any remaining debris and detergent residue.
Stage 3 – DI water : The parts were then rinsed in deionised water for 1 minute to remove any tap water minerals which could cause staining.
Stage 4 – DI water : To ensure a spot-free finish the parts had an additional DI water rinse for a 1-minute cleaning cycle with ultrasonic cavitation.
Stage 5 – Hot air dry : Lastly, the parts were dried in the hot air dryer at 70°C for 10 minutes in the jewellery sieve.
Before cleaning Carbide
After cleaning Carbide
During cleaning process for Carbide
