Two common industrial cleaning type machines: ultrasonic and agitation washers. In one sense, ultrasonic cleaning\u00a0is\u00a0agitation cleaning, just at a microscopic scale. Both kinds of cleaning have their benefits and uses and are used for precision and industrial parts cleaning across industries.<\/span><\/p>\n Ultrasonic cleaning makes use of the physical forces caused by ultrasonic sound waves moving through the liquid and striking against a hard surface. Ultrasonic waves are produced through electrical pulses traveling through a piezoelectric transducer. The transducer vibrates a diaphragm, which transmits the high-frequency sound waves through a liquid bath. These waves produce microscopic cavitation bubbles when they contact the surface of the object to be cleaned. As the bubbles form and collapse, they release high-powered plasma jets that dislodge stubborn grime from the object. Ultrasonic cleaning is used for a wide variety of industrial and precision cleaning applications, including machined parts, disaster restoration, and electronics cleaning.<\/p>\n Agitation cleaning is merely another method of cleaning away stubborn grime from the surfaces of machine parts. It utilizes a combination of immersion in a surfactant or perhaps a solvent along with agitation, whether through drum rotation or a platform moving up and down in the liquid bath. The answer to whether ultrasonic cleaning or agitation cleaning is better depends on several factors:<\/p>\n \u2014What are you trying to clean?\u00a0If it\u2019s a part that can stand up to rough handling, like a cylinder head, then either agitation or ultrasonic cleaning will probably work, though agitation may take longer. However, if it\u2019s a more delicate or intricate part or object, it may be damaged by agitation. Ultrasonic cleaning provides an effective, but gentler method of cleaning every surface of even the most intricate objects.<\/p>\n \u2014How much time do you have?\u00a0If time is not much of a factor, then agitation may work for you. Admittedly, agitation cleaners can be cheaper and use less power, but the tradeoff is the amount of time it takes for them to clean parts. You have to consider whether it\u2019s worth your time and money investment to have your cleaning operations be slow or inefficient. Calculate your ROI (Return on Investment) for both types of cleaners to see which one comes out ahead for your needs.<\/p>\n \u2014What\u2019s your budget?\u00a0In general, agitation cleaners can cost less initially than ultrasonic cleaners. If you\u2019re looking at a low spend, then you may want to consider an agitation cleaner. However, when you\u2019re considering cost, you need to take into account the entire cost, including production time lost for cleaning, overall energy used, employee time spent, and so on. Return on Investment (ROI) is another significant cost factor. Depending on your operation, you may find that investing in an ultrasonic cleaner produces more significant savings in the long run by cutting down on production time lost to cleaning, for example.<\/p>\nWhat is ultrasonic cleaning?<\/h2>\n
What is agitation cleaning?<\/h2>\n
\nThis type of cleaning requires objects that can stand being shaken and moved about without being damaged. Ideal objects that can be cleaned with this method include turbine blades, cylinder heads, pistons, and rods.
\nAgitation cleaning does a good job of getting the cleaning agent (detergent or solvent) into contact with the bulk of the object\u2019s surface. It relies mostly on the chemical action of the surfactant used and requires the least amount of mechanical energy. It works best for situations where you have a lot of time to clean parts, since it may take hours for stubborn grime to be washed away.<\/p>\nSo, which is better: ultrasonic cleaning or agitation cleaning?<\/h2>\n