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What is cavitation?
Think bubbles. Cavitation “bubbles” form when sonic energy creates a void (or cavity) which gets
trapped as a bubble in a liquid solution of water or solvent. These microscopic bubbles implode with
such force that contaminants adhering to surfaces are dislodged. An ultrasonic parts cleaner scrubs
surfaces clean through implosions of tiny bubbles.
The fluid used in an industrial ultrasonic cleaner can be either water-based (aqueous) or solvent-
based. Both types of cleaning solutions contain wetting agents (surfactants) to reduce surface tension
and increase cavitation. Aqueous cleaning solutions are generally more limited in cleaning effectiveness
but better for the environment than solvent cleaning solutions.
In ultrasonic parts cleaning, the parts are typically placed in a basket or tray and then immersed in
the ultrasonic cleaning tank. On occasion, parts may be racked, and the rack is lowered into the tank.
Items with blind holes may benefit from a rotating basket in an ultrasonic parts cleaner.
The time required for ultrasonic cleaning depends on the material and soils, but typical cleaning times
range from 3 to 6 minutes. Some delicate items such as electronics may require a longer cleaning time.
Higher heat helps loosen dirt and chemical bonds faster, so most industrial parts cleaners apply heat in
the range of 135 – 150 °F.
It should be noted that cleaning in an ultrasonic bath cleaner does not sterilize items. In medical
applications, sterilization typically follows ultrasonic cleaning as another process step.
Ultrasonic Cleaning Tank – The ultrasonic cleaning tank holds the fluid of the ultrasonic
bath and the items to be cleaned.
Ultrasonic Generator – The ultrasonic generator transforms AC electrical energy to an
ultrasonic frequency.
Ultrasonic Transducer – The transducer converts the ultrasonic electrical signal to
mechanical energy.
The backing of an ultrasonic transducer is a thick material that absorbs the energy that radiates from the
back of the piezoelectric crystal.
The radiating plate in an ultrasonic transducer works as a diaphragm that converts the ultrasonic energy
to mechanical (pressure) waves in the fluid. Thus when the piezoelectric crystal receives pulses of
electrical energy, the radiating plate responds with ultrasonic vibrations in the cleaning solution.
The ultrasonic generator working principle is to send electrical energy pulses to the transducer, which
transforms energy into mechanical (pressure) waves in the cleaning fluid for vibratory ultrasonic
washing action.
1. Piezoelectric crystal transducers can vary greatly in quality. Due to the nature of the
crystalline formation, transducers will naturally decay over time (3-6 years typically) in
their ability to convert electrical energy to mechanical/sound energy. Inexpensive, lower-
quality transducers will decay much faster than those made with higher-quality crystals.
This degradation or decay will greatly change the cleaning quality of an ultrasonic
machine. Inexpensive ultrasonic washers which seem to perform well when new can often
show decreased cleaning quality in as little as 3-6 months.
2. Ultrasonic generators may be made from electrical components that lack the longevity an
end user expects. Combined with accelerated piezoelectric transducer decay, these low-
quality ultrasonic generator components can lead to extreme variations of ultrasonic parts
cleaner performance over time. This cleaning variation in turn leads to more scrapped and
reworked parts. This represents not only a major cost problem for a business, but also can
cause the process to fail validation protocols and specifications in medical device,
aerospace, and other fields.
3. Low-powered ultrasonic transducers can significantly reduce the cost of an ultrasonic
cleaning machine, but this sacrifice can also reduce cleaning effectiveness. Low-powered
transducers in an ultrasonic bath cleaner can also compromise the ability to cavitate a
solution evenly.
4. Tank thickness matters. Frequent application of ultrasonic energy to a tank causes tank
erosion over-time and can erode through the bottom of the tank. Signs of ultrasonic wash
tank erosion include a gray appearance in stainless steel, and pits in the bottom of the tank.
Low-quality sonic cleaners use a thinner gauge of stainless steel that can show wear in a
matter of months.
Our transducers are tested and matched based on exact resonant frequency and the ultrasonic electronics
are then tuned to this exact frequency.
Myth #2: More movement or agitation on the fluid’s surface is better. Many think that surface
“dancing” means a lot of power in the ultrasonic wash tank, but surface movement is just ultrasonic
energy reflecting off the fluid’s surface, and has nothing to do with the uniformity of the ultrasonic
energy. The easiest way to test uniformity of ultrasonic energy is to hang a piece of aluminum foil in the
tank and observe the cavitation pin holes in the foil throughout the depth of the ultrasonic bath.
Myth #3: As long as tanks have ultrasonics, power doesn’t matter. Having the right ratio of watts per
gallon is essential to proper distribution of ultrasonic energy throughout a cleaning tank. Many low-
priced ultrasonic washers sacrifice cleaning power for the sake of price, with a power ratio of less than
50 watts/gallon.
Our ultrasonic cleaning tanks feature a power ratio of 100 watts/gallon, for tanks under 20 gallons.
(Higher ultrasonic tank volumes do not require as high power density due to tank geometry.) The higher
watt density means better saturation of the ultrasonic tank with cavitation bubbles, leading to faster
cleaning times and a better, more consistent result on the cleaned product.
For the simplest applications, a tabletop or benchtop ultrasonic cleaning tank may be sufficient, with
rinsing done in a sink or separate container.
Most industrial applications use a multi-tank approach to ultrasonic cleaning that includes a series of
tanks for washing, rinsing and drying. Multi-tank ultrasonic cleaning systems are available in several
form factors, including benchtop and console (also known as wet bench).
For even greater efficiency, many industrial ultrasonic cleaning systems add automation. Automation
permits the user to wash, rinse and dry with a single press of a button, like a dishwasher, rather than
manually moving baskets of parts from one tank to the next.
To learn more about the types of ultrasonic cleaning equipment offered by Best Technology, please
see our Precision Cleaning Systems and Parts Cleaners page.