Many industrial facilities make use of spray washers, and they are a common piece of equipment in these places. But today, ultrasonic cleaners are fast becoming the go-to cleaner of these facilities as well, and for many good reasons. Customers expect more when it comes to cleanliness, and their standards are a lot higher than ever – and with the use of ultrasonic cleaners, businesses and facilities can meet these higher expectations without too much effort. If you are still making use of industrial spray washers for your facility but are thinking about switching to ultrasonic cleaners, here’s what you should know about ultrasonic cleaners versus industrial spray washers, and why ultrasonic cleaners are a better choice.

The brilliant process of cavitation

More businesses are now lauding the use of ultrasonic cleaners due to one singular process alone: cavitation. But what is cavitation, and how does it work? As the ultrasonic waves flow through liquid, they will then compress, and the molecules in that liquid will be released. As a result, millions of tiny bubbles will form on the surface of the part, item, or component which is undergoing the process of cleaning, and the bubbles will continuously form and implode as the process goes on. Once the bubbles implode, liquid will rush in to fill the space, and this will then produce a strong jet that can slam into the part’s surface as well as its holes and crevices. This will then dislodge and remove whatever contaminants are on the surface, crevices, and holes. The process is gentle yet robust, as the continuous scrubbing can thoroughly clean the part or component and make it spotless.

Why ultrasonic cleaning is better

• Ultrasonic cleaning is better than spray washing simply because the cavitation process it creates can reach any hole or crevice, no matter how small. The bubbles can penetrate wherever the liquid penetrates, so no matter how small or deep the crevice or hole, the bubbles should be able to go in and scrub and clean the area. Also, because cavitation is the result of acoustic energy, acoustic energy can go through metal. In other words, even if parts are placed next to each other in the container, this will not be a problem – all surfaces will be cleaned, as long as they are immersed in the solution. This is different from spray washers where parts next to each other may not be as thoroughly cleaned simply because of shadowing.
• Since all surfaces and crevices are cleaned, the disassembly of parts is no longer necessary with ultrasonic cleaning. This will allow your workers to save time and effort, and they can make sure that all the parts are spotless as long as they are left in the container for the proper amount of time, usually within three to six minutes.
• If you can eliminate the use of solvents from your cleaning procedures and processes, you can save a lot of money as well. With ultrasonic cleaners, all you need is a soft or mild detergent and water – you don’t need to use any strong chemicals which may be potentially harmful. The industrial ultrasonic cleaner can do the job without you having to worry about the safety of your equipment and, more importantly, the safety of your workers.
• Ultrasonic cleaning can clean virtually everything – it is used for the cleaning of hard drives, engine blocks, glass vials, and even equipment used for nuclear decontamination. With ultrasonic cleaning’s flexibility, you can rest assured that all your equipment and components will be as clean as possible, and you can benefit from a safer environment as well.