Metal Cleaning and Its Improvement by the Use of Ultrasonics

Abstract

Ultrasonics is one of the newest tools to be applied to metal cleaning. Through the years, abrasives, soaps, compounded alkaline materials, and solvents have been used to remove soils From metals. Trichlorethylene Solvent degreasing has had a wide reception in industry since its introduction in 1930. The DETREX SONICLEAN PROCESS combines sound energy and trichlorethylene solvent degreasing for metal cleaning. This is accomplished by immersing specially treated barium titanate transducers in chlorinated solvents, producing cleaning results previously unobtainable. Crossrod, conveyorized equipment incorporating constant distillation and filtration of the solvent in the ultrasonic chamber and providing a final vapor rinse and drying is now in use in industrial plants producing as many as 8,000 parts per hour.