Angels! A case study of Ultrasonic Cleaning industrial supplies, damaged by Floods

Angels! A case study of Ultrasonic Cleaning industrial supplies, damaged by Floods

A good customer of ours, a supplier of stainless steel pipework and fittings, was unfortunate enough to be flooded in the recent storm Ciara. The majority of their stock, valued at over £50,000, was contaminated with floodwater, and unsaleable. They faced the following problems;

1. They needed to shift their stock so they could clean their warehouse but didn’t have the manpower (although their insurance company did assist with the cleaning of the premises).
2. Business goes on. They had to continue supplying to their customers.
3. Although they could have replaced some stock very quickly and hence just scrapped the dirty stock, some parts have a significant lead time for delivery. These delays would have resulted in lost sales (insured) and more importantly lost customers (not insured).

They approached us to see if we could help them salvage some of their stock to keep going. We took a crew over and cleared all their fittings and some of their fast-moving pipework taking them to our unit to undergo our ultrasonic cleaning service. We cleaned in the order of priority dictated by their sales taking care to keep the same parts together to assist their restocking. We also took our crew to unload all the cleaned fittings into their cleaned warehouse. Then we did a repeat on all their remaining pipework.

How much did we clean? – a rough guide would be some X thousand fittings and over 1800 metres of pipework weighing over 5 tonnes.

How did we clean? – jet washing, ultrasonics, compressed air dry, packing back in same parts categories.

How much did it cost? – around 15% of the total value of the stock, which the insurers are understandably happy to pay rather than the full replacement cost!

How long did it take? – just over 2 weeks.

The episode has tested even this customer’s iron resolve (she runs a farm in her spare time so not much phases her!) However she is just about back to normal and her business has kept running throughout. I’d like to think we have helped her turn a potentially permanent disaster into just a temporary crisis!

It isn’t our normal type of business, and it’s one I hope doesn’t happen again to any of our customers, but I believe we did show our normal attitude to helping our customers solve their dirt problem.

And here’s a very “not normal” customer testimonial:

“Andrew, you’re an Angel! I can’t see that being repeated either”

For more information about our solutions and your applications please call us today on 01924 495 975 or email hello@sonicsolutionsltd.com

High Volume Ultrasonic Cleaning

Whilst some of our clients may need one-off items or small batches cleaned ultrasonically, we’re increasingly seeing companies that are faced with getting thousands if not millions of parts & components ultrasonically cleaned to a high standard.  Sometimes this is done as one single large order or done in batches continuously over time.  When companies are faced with cleaning at high volumes, especially to an exacting standard the big decision they face is…

“Do we do all this ourselves in-house or send it out to cleaning professionals”

Broadly you have the following options

1. Buy the ultrasonic cleaning baths, train and employ the personnel to do all the work in-house.
2. Pay an extraordinary amount of money for an automated process to be put in place (along with the ongoing maintenance that’s required).
3. Send the parts out to a large volume parts cleaning company like us that offer a “done for you” service.

The one thing we have learned at Sonic Solutions is that you should never underestimate how much time you think it will take to clean a high volume of parts. For instance, we once cleaned over 1 million pieces of lego for a large museum exhibition. We knew this job was going to take time, but when 7, 2.5m high palettes arrived we knew we had our work cut out for us. Day 1 usually consists of making constant changes to the methodology to continually streamline the process. It really does dominate your entire floor space and becomes the full focus of the entire staff on the shop floor. Many times scratching our heads, thinking HOW… How are we going to get this out by the end of the week? The never-ending flow of parts really puts your brain hard at work to figure out ways to improve the process without compromising on quality.

Another example was 13,000 fragile surgical instruments. We had done volumes 10 times this in the past and assumed we would be able to handle it without breaking a sweat. Every job is totally different and because of the nature of these parts we had to be extra careful not to damage them, they also had to be scrupulously clean and dried before returning. The days quickly ended without a dent made in the overall amount, but once again we were forced to think outside the box to get these items through without causing damage and achieving the end results the customer needed.

Over the years and every month for the foreseeable we have cleaned, and do clean a multitude of different parts in high volumes, ranging from heavy OEM precision-engineered parts for the oil and gas industry to hundreds of thousands of O-rings used in the construction of cleanroom environments in hospitals and labs.

We have made the mistakes in all their forms over the years and have had the headaches so that others don’t need to.  By cleaning such a wide range of things in high volumes, for so long, across a wide spectrum of industries, we can confidently call ourselves one of the leading authorities in this area. Our guesswork before receiving something is constantly improving and we can foresee things far better than ever before.

Sonic Solutions are your ultrasonic cleaning experts and we can confidently advise you on the best course of action for anyone needing a high volume cleaning service, whether it be with us or done by yourselves in-house.

When Do I Change The Ultrasonic Cleaning Solution?

A question we frequently get asked is how do you know when to change your cleaning solution ? A common question but very difficult to answer in reality. The obvious answer is when it stops cleaning effectively either because the chemical that’s doing the cleaning is spent or the solution is saturated with contaminant and can literally take no more out. However to actually identify an objective measure rather than just rely upon a subjective assessment of the operator, is extremely difficult. The clarity of the solution and lack of active apparent cleaning activity in the solution can be taken as a proxy for this. However there are other more objective measures we can use each of which has its advantages and disadvantages, including

1. pH, the acidity or alkalinity of the solution
   A lot of solutions used in cleaning are alkaline or fairly neutral, having a solvent doing the active cleaning, and in these cases very rarely will there be a significant change in the pH level through the life of the cleaning solution. With acidic cleaning solutions used for descaling and removing rust or oxides off surfaces, the acidity does decline over time. However it is rarely the major indicator of when the cleaning solution is spent, because the level of contamination within the cleaning solution will have a far greater impact on how much more of the contaminants can be taken off .
2. Conductivity – the ability to pass current through the solution –  which is affected by the amount of contaminants in the solution
   Conductivity measuring the effect of contaminant in the solution upon the conductivity – the ability of the solution to transmit an electric current. This is also prone to wide degrees of error since some contaminants are extremely conductive whilst others are not so they will have varying impacts upon the conductivity within the solution. Even when you are just taking off 1 apparent contaminant if its composition alters then the conductivity will likewise alter so again you don’t have a completely objective variable with an absolute measure of the state of the solution.
3. Measurable optical visibility or transparency
   Visibility and transparency is a common indicator of when the solution needs changing. It’s probably the one that I use most commonly in house if I’m honest, in tandem with the actual effectiveness of cleaning and the cleaning activity. However it is very subjective with potentially significant variation between what different operators think is dirty.
4. Speed of ultrasonic waves through a solution
   Measuring the speed of high frequency ultrasonic waves going through a solution is a methodology that I have just recently come across in terms of measuring cleanliness of a solution. It is particularly interesting since it is completely independent of pH, conductivity, visibility or transparency of that solution. It simply measures the speed of high frequency waves going through the solution in which the sensor is placed. This speed is affected by the composition and temperature of the solution. For example water at 40 Centigrade has a velocity of around 1482 metres per second at 10 degrees centigrade speed reduces to 1452 approximately so the speed is affected by both the composition of the solution and the temperature. As a solution becomes more contaminated the speed of the waves will alter. Indeed each cleaning chemical, and its concentration, will have a distinctive unique speed measurement. This allows a unique measure of the solution status at all points in its cycle. However this sensitivity can be a disadvantage when natural variations in raw materials impact the speed giving potentially false readings.

Summary

What must be understood is that whichever method is chosen will be unique to that specific cleaning process, and will be arrived at by a process of reverse engineering from the desired result backwards to the process parameters. The cleanliness specification and the cleaning solution status will be measured or assessed independently. When the cleaning outcome ceases to be acceptable or effective then the solution status measurement chosen must be recorded. That will then set the benchmark for when the solution is no longer providing the desired outcome in cleaning terms.

However for any such measure to be successful it must meet a number of criteria;

• It must be objective, that is not subject to an individual’s subjectivity;
• It must be repeatable and consistent throughout every cleaning process performed;
• It must be congruent with the desired outcome in all respects.

Any measure selected will be unique to that process and its objectives. It will also reflect a variety of factors, not necessarily just the level of cleanliness desired but also the time taken to clean, manual intervention required, and disposal considerations.

For example the speed of cleaning may be crucial, so any lengthening of the cleaning cycle to extend the life of the solution may not be acceptable. Also for ease of solution disposal it may be desirable to have a solution cleaner than is technically required for the cleanliness specification alone.

I hope this helps identify the key considerations to take into account when deciding when to change your cleaning solution, ways of measuring the status of your solutions, and also a methodology to establish the appropriate point at which to change it. However if you need any further help or advice then just get in touch with us, and we’ll be happy to help.

In-house or outsourced ultrasonic cleaning, what is right for you?

The pros of doing it yourself:

You are in control, to do it when you want

You can quickly decide if a part needs cleaning there and then so you can schedule downtime with ease. Keeping your process working is of paramount importance so the quicker it can be done the better. It also gives you the freedom to choose the level of cleanliness, either you just want a fast clean to remove some contaminants to keep work flowing or you can choose to have a deep clean. Time is in your hands.

You are in control, to do it how you want

Your parts or items have specific cleaning requirements and nobody is better qualified to know the cleanliness specifications than yourself. You can choose to clean them fast in strong chemicals or slowly with less hazardous types. The outcome is completely up to you and you can decide when a job is good enough or not in the moment without waiting for return delivery.

Peace of mind

It can be difficult letting go, like many companies some of your parts may cost tens of thousands of pounds and be very sensitive, fragile and difficult to transport. Having them cleaned within your 4 walls by your own staff keeps all the anxieties of sending them out into the world at bay.

Cost

For most companies keeping costs down is a top priority.

A DIY approach can be very cost effective when dealing with very high volumes. Cleaning companies usually discount high volumes but it’s still a significant cost that could otherwise be taken in house.

Transport is another cost not to be overlooked if you require high volume cleaning then transport is going to be another significant price to factor in. By having the cleaning equipment on site you would save thousands of pounds annually or even monthly on courier services.

One of the greatest costs of all is damage to your parts and the possible upsetting of the supply chain. By sending parts out the risk of damage increases massively, you must put your faith blindly into the people delivering and cleaning your items. Cleaning internally ensures the greatest possible care is taken when cleaning goods.

Flexibility

Overseeing your own cleaning operation gives you ultimate flexibility, you can alter time, process, chemicals, items and most importantly standards. It allows you to prioritize things according to live dynamic situations, you can choose to clean it now or after the shift you can pause work for a clean and restart it as quick as possible. Flexibility is freedom in the workplace.

Choosing the right supplier

When you take on your own cleaning operation you must carefully consider where and who you buy your ultrasonic cleaning tanks from. There are many ultrasonic tank manufacturers around but very few ultrasonic cleaning experts around. It’s all well and good purchasing a brand new £20,000 tank with all the bells and whistles on it, but… What chemical will you use on the contaminant? How long should you leave your parts in? Will the chemical effect the material you are cleaning? The ultrasonics are making a high pitched noise, what is that?

These are some of the questions you will come up with when starting out and 9 times out of 10 the manufacturer hasn’t got the foggiest idea what you mean.

You must seek the advice of an ultrasonic cleaning expert to help guide you through the setup, maintenance and ongoing cleaning requirements you may need. Ultrasonics is very easy to get right BUT it’s even easier to get wrong.

The pros of outsourced cleaning:

Focus on your own business

In your business you have your own experts in producing your own products, usually highly skilled and well trained people with a deep knowledge base on a specific task or part. Having your highly skilled operatives also doing the cleaning is a waste of valuable time and resources.

Let the experts handle it

Although you may know exactly how clean you want something to be, you may not know exactly how to get it that way. A cleaning expert has usually encountered every type of contaminant, material, small jobs, big jobs, nasty jobs, smelly jobs and everything in between. Like you they are experts in their field can usually look at a job with just a few details and work out the best method, fastest turnaround and likely results.

Hassle free

Having an outsourced clean frees you of the hassle of managing an entire cleaning process, as you well know the management of people is a difficult one at best adding more processes to your already busy shop floor can be overwhelming. When an engineer is asked to do a weeks worth of cleaning, something which he didn’t train for and has no intention of making a career out of, it can leave a sour taste in the mouth.

Health and safety

Some of the cleaning solutions used in the industry can be very harmful. Heavy caustic alkalis and strong hazardous acids, perfect for cleaning purposes but need to be handled with care and used correctly.

Training and knowledge of each chemical is absolutely mandatory. This is something that a cleaning expert should already be very familiar with. Having to learn all this for yourself is a big undertaking and expert advice should be taken.

Another aspect of health and safety are the environmental implications when disposing of solutions after a clean. When dealing with potentially deadly chemicals plus the added contaminant that has been removed (sometimes far worse for the environment than the chemicals themselves). The utmost care must be taken that the correct disposal procedure is being followed for each chemical and each contaminant. This can be financially and time costly for a business trying to do cleaning in house, whereas an outsourced cleaning professional will already have these procedures in place.

Equipment / cost

Setting up your own ultrasonic cleaning system in house can be very costly, you would need a very heavy initial investment to get started, and if you aren’t going to be using it day in and day out you might not have wanted to spend that kind of money in the first place. The outsourced service is there for you whenever you require it so that you need never throw money at something you don’t know how to use and have no knowledge on cleaning.

If you have large volumes of cleaning that would occupy far too much time in-house you can usually rely on bulk rate price for a professional cleaning service. This means you can concentrate on the things that are important to you and leave the cleaning to the cleaners.

Adapting to you

An ultrasonic cleaning expert draws on all his knowledge from all job types to give you the best outcome for your specific requirements. If your process changes or your requirements change or if you have an entirely new piece of equipment or part that needs cleaning, the experts probably already know how to proceed and can alleviate any stress or concerns you might have moving forward. Having that expertise at your fingertips means you can confidently move forward in an ever changing environment, knowing your cleaning needs will be met every step of the way.

Consistency and peace of mind

Let’s not beat around the bush, an ultrasonic cleaning expert with years and years of knowledge through trial and error, training and education perfecting methods over a decade or more, will most certainly achieve a higher cleaning standard than that of someone “having a go at it” in house. Consistency is key in this profession, it’s all well and good cleaning something, but you have to clean it to standard set by the client and you have to repeat this time and time again without causing damage. All this can be a lot to take on for an in-house set up so once again outsourcing passes on all this responsibility and leaves you free to run your own business.

What are the Key Factors in Successful Ultrasonic Cleaning