The Manufacturing Cleaning Association wants to showcase and share the expertise from within its diverse membership.
The Industry Standards collection includes articles, white papers and resources provided by MCA members and experts sharing information to make the industry stronger. Before posting to the collection, all content is curated through a strenuous process by the MCA’s Technical Advisory Committee.
Chemistry
4 Considerations for Aerospace Component Cleaning
These pointers for aerospace cleaning can help companies understand best practices, safety and determining part cleanliness.
In this short article, you will learn how solvents are ranked and how you can be sure a replacement will work for your process.
Aqueous Cleaner Selection Criteria
This one-page list of questions offers considerations for selecting an aqueous cleaner.
Role of pH in Cleaning Chemicals
Learn about when to use which type of chemical cleaner for an application, and how understanding the pH scale in this situation is beneficial.
Heat’s Impact of Parts Cleaning
Thermal dynamics is important for assisting in the cleaning of a part. Adding heat or energy influences the cleaning process through its impact on chemistry, the water within the washer and its effect on drying.
Taking Care of an Industrial Parts Washer
Proper parts washer maintenance is key to a long life for the system and reliable parts washing.
Rinsing and Drying Cycles are Just as Critical as Cleaning Cycles
In addition to the actual cleaning technology, a critical cleaning process must also use suitable chemicals to ensure high-quality rinsing and drying processes.
The Right Solvent Creates the Cleanest Parts
Cox Manufacturing Co. has worked with Kyzen Corp. since it implemented its vacuum vapor degreaser to find just the right chemical solvent to clean its customers’ parts to their specifications and beyond.
VIDEO: Vapor Degreasing Process Uses TCE REplacement to Eliminate Hazardous Waste
A solid relationship with a solvent manufacturer has aided Electro-Spec Inc. with the implementation of a trichloroethylene replacement material in its vacuum degreasing unit to clean a customer’s micromachined parts more efficiently.
Future-Proofing a Parts Cleaning Process with Modified Alchols
Modified alcohols can be reliable replacements for the solvents currently under scrutiny by the EPA. The non-halogenated solvents have good drying qualities, are very stable and have low surface tension.
Cleaning Equipment
General Guidelines for Maintaining Alkaline Cleaning Tanks
This is a detailed description from Brulin of five common alkaline bath tests.
Choosing the Right Aqueous Cleaning Operation
For most machining processes, water-based solutions can be applied using tailored technologies for specific applications.
The Function of a Vacuum Vapor Degreaser
Vacuum vapor degreasing is among the fastest growing parts cleaning technology because of all the benefits the process offers.
Automatically Deburr, Clean Parts in One System
Palletized parts are transferred from a five-axis, high pressure waterjet station to a cleaning station via linear motor to enable, fast, automated finishing.
Processes
Summertime Corrosion: Humidity is the Enemy
Corrosion is an issue that plagues all manufacturing processes involving metal substrates – especially during the summer months. However, since corrosion is a common problem, there are many ways to see it coming, prevent it from occurring, and even correct parts after corrosion has already occurred.
How to Choose a Debinding Fluid for Metal 3D Printing
Binder jetting and feedstock extrusion depend on binders that are ultimately sacrificial. MicroCare offers factors to consider in selecting a debinding fluid for these metal additive manufacturing processes.
Nitric vs. Citric Acid Passivation
While both nitric and citric acid passivation effectively passivate stainless steel and other alloys, the one you select depends on the alloy itself and the benefits you most value
How to Choose and Set Up a Manufacturing Cleaning Process
Choosing the right cleaning process for an application takes thought and understanding. Knowing the basics of cleaning, the costs associated with it, as well as how to test, validate and inspect parts that are cleaned is critical. Teamwork and communication are also important in getting the job done efficiently.
‘Soft’ Metal Staining, Post Cleaning
In the push to go green, many fabricators are switching to water emulsifiable metal working fluids. The formulators of these lubes use different additives, for the lube to perform properly.
Filtering Cleaners, “Cleaning the Cleaner” Questions and Answers
Learn about the variety of filters for removing particulates from a cleaning fluid, how to determine cleaning fluid life and more.
How to Reduce Steps Required in Nonferrous Surface Finishing
The finishing of parts made from various copper and aluminum alloys traditionally require many distinct and separate process steps. Hubbard-Hall’s Mike Valenti explains how both come with their own unique needs.
Alternatives to Air Sparging Make Better Choices for Tank Agitation
A modest investment in cleaning tank modification to eliminate air sparging can provide significant savings in improved part processing, saving both time and money.
Improve Energy Savings with Vector Kinematics
The rocking, rotational nozzle movement performed by vector kinematics spray cleaning technology combined with temperature and cleaning additives provides an effective, fast and economical parts cleaning process.
Trends in Parts Cleaning
The latest cleaning trends point toward environmentally friendly ways to clean effectively, involving the replacement of harmful chemical solvents within a cleaning process or switching to a mostly aqueous method.
New Cleaning Methods for Alternative Manufacturing Processes
Tyler Wheeler, product line manager at Ecoclean Group, covered the current manufacturing trends and how cleaning technologies are evolving to keep up with the cleaning demands of these trends.
Video: The Advantages of CNC in a Cleaning/Deburring Process
This on-demand webinar from Sugino Corp. offers information on CNC waterjet for cleaning and deburring parts, pressure pumps and nozzle options for the system as well as how to add value to the process.
Measurement
Particle Analysis Evolves with Specifications
Cleanliness analysis equipment has become more advanced as testing and reporting particle contamination levels have become more critical.
Computerized Measurement of Contact Angles
The primary purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that contact angles of sessile drops can be accurately measured using very low-cost equipment in conjunction with open-access computer programs.
A ‘Microscopic’ Look at ISO 16232 Standard Analysis
This article gives three key points that should be confirmed with a microscope support team or within microscope software to ensure that proper settings are in place to detect, measure and categorize most particles for automotive manufacturing.
Dealing with Failed Cleanliness Limits
Markus Rossler, vice president, Glaeser Inc., offers guidelines for ensuring parts cleaning standards.
Regulatory Updates
Risk Management for Perchloroethylene (PCE)
This article provides information on EPA actions to manage the unreasonable risk from perchloroethylene (PCE). PCE is a colorless liquid used primarily in industrial settings for the production of fluorinated compounds. This chemical is also used for dry cleaning, as a solvent for cleaning and degreasing, and in lubricants, adhesives, and sealants. PCE has a limited number of consumer uses in products like adhesives for arts and crafts and stainless steel polish.
EPA Proposes Ban on All Consumer, Most Industrial and Commercial Uses of Methylene Chloride to Protect Public Health
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the latest action to protect public health under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), proposing a ban on most uses of methylene chloride, a dangerous chemical known to cause serious health risks and even death.
How EPA Decision Might Affect Surface Preparation
Last year, the EPA determined that four degreasing solvents used in parts cleaning pose “unreasonable risks” to workers. By the end of 2022, there should be new rules outlining restrictions on how the solvents can be used. Solvent bans are possible. What should surface finishing companies do?
EPA Finds Trichloroethylene Poses an Unreasonable Risk to Human Health
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a revision to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk determination for trichloroethylene (TCE), finding that TCE, as a whole chemical substance, presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health when evaluated under its conditions of use. The next step in the process is to develop a risk management rulemaking to identify and require the implementation of measures to manage these risks.
