Posts by Rachel Kohn
Two Practical Solutions to Clean Lab Sieves
Cleaning fine mesh particle analysis lab sieves becomes more difficult as mesh size decreases, making it more likely that particles become trapped in fine sieve openings. Manual cleaning test sieves has drawbacks including potential damage to the mesh and failure to achieve 100% particle removal. Here are two practical solutions to clean lab sieves as well as perform other important functions in food and pharmaceutical research facilities.
Lab Sieve Cleaning Solution No. 1
One way to solve the problem is by combining the 7.5-gallon Elmasonic EP300H ultrasonic cleaner with the Elma SRH 4/200 sieve rotation holder.
Ultrasonic cavitation produced by the Elmasonic EP300 H creates billions of minute vacuum bubbles. These implode vigorously against the surfaces of objects being cleaned to quickly and safely dislodge contaminants.
The unit operates at 37 kHz ultrasonic frequency. Features include a heater (30⁰ – 80⁰C) and a timer (1 … Read the rest
Ultrasonic PCB Cleaners for New and Reconditioned Boards
Removing soldering flux and residues from new PCBs and dirt when reconditioning PCBs by using an ultrasonic PCB cleaner is faster and more gentle than soaking and scrubbing with sprays and solvents. Manual PCB cleaning is time consuming, can damage delicate PCB assemblies and can be environmentally unfriendly. An ultrasonic PCB cleaner provides your best assurance that contaminants have been completely removed from new or reconditioned board configurations.
How an Ultrasonic PCB Cleaner Works
If you are familiar with ultrasonic cleaning proceed to the next section.
Ultrasonic cleaners come in a variety of sizes and capacities ranging from benchtop to floor mounted industrial units. Regardless of size, ultrasonic cleaners work in the same way.
A tank sized to accommodate objects being cleaned contains a biodegradable cleaning solution formulated for the task at hand.
Controls range from a simple on-off switch to more sophisticated timers, heaters and other features such as … Read the rest
Ultrasonic Cleaning Once-Fired Brass
A Tovatech Case Study
A recent report by IBISWorld states that the U.S. Shooting Range Industry market is estimated at $4 billion and encompasses more than 11,000 businesses. Many shooting enthusiasts, whether pistol or rifle, save on the cost of purchasing new ammo by cleaning and reloading spent cartridges, called once-fired brass. Here we describe how a professional employs an ultrasonic cleaner to restore some 250 pistol casings a week and 200 rifle casings a month.
A Case Study on Cleaning Once-Fired Brass
Seattle resident Subhro Kar is a Product Security Engineer for Red Hat Software and volunteers as a search and rescue pilot. Hobbies include photography, hunting and participation in precision shooting competitions. He shares with Tovatech his recommendations on employing ultrasonic energy to clean once-fired brass.
Tovatech: What led you to investigate then adopt cleaning and reloading once-fired brass?
Mr. Kar: I do … Read the rest
How to Use an Analytical Balance: 5 Tips
University and industrial laboratory researchers requiring extremely accurate measurements of extremely small quantities rely on a precision instrument called an analytical balance. Shopping for an analytical balance requires being familiar with some of the advanced features available today as well as the proper use of these precision instruments. It is on the second point that we focus this post on how to use an analytical balance.
Here you will learn
- How to set up an analytical balance
- The effect of environment on weighing accuracy
- How samples can introduce errors
- The importance of personal practices
- Important maintenance tips
More on Selecting Ultrasonic Cleaning Solutions
As we suggested in our blog post How to Select Ultrasonic Cleaner Solutions* cleaning solution chemistry has an important bearing on the success of operating an ultrasonic cleaner. Here we will look at some other considerations to keep in mind.
For example, the choice of a cleaning chemistry depends not only on the surface material and contamination, but also on the use and level of cleanliness required after cleaning. Here are but two of many examples we could share:
For precision cleaning prior to coating operations you need a cleaner that easily rinses residue-free. This helps ensure that coatings such as powder, anodizing, chromium plating or paint will fully adhere to the surface. For applications such as these we strongly suggest EC 260 d&s neutral foam-inhibited concentrate.
There are less-demanding levels of cleanliness for other applications. If your shop cleans, repairs or reconditions used equipment made of materials such … Read the rest
How to Calibrate a Digital Scale
When it comes to explaining how to calibrate a digital scale, here’s a bit of reassurance: Calibrating a digital scale is not that complicated. Because scale calibration is important – required by law in many instances – we offer these instructions on why and how often digital scales should be calibrated.
We’re talking not only precision scales and analytical balances able to weigh in grams and milligrams but also industrial scales weighing in pounds, sales used for recipes, determining percentages, totalizing, counting and other functions used in industry today.
Why you Should Know How to Calibrate a Digital Scale
First of all, as noted above, in many instances it’s required by law. Another source is the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Weights and Measures Program Requirements, which provides detailed information on this topic.
Why Calibrated Scales are Important
All of us are familiar with transactions where scale accuracy … Read the rest
5 Key Points to Selecting the Correct Ultrasonic Cleaner Size
Ultrasonic parts cleaners are manufactured in a tremendous variety of sizes. By “size” we mean the dimensions and capacities of tanks in which ultrasonic parts cleaning is accomplished. For example the Elmasonic E Plus series is offered in 9 tank capacities from 0.25 to 7.5 gallons and the Select Series in 11 capacities from 0.7 to 23 gallons. Industrial-sized units such as SHIRACLEAN can hold 100 gallons or more. This post will help you select the correct ultrasonic parts cleaner size.
Five Points to Selecting your Ultrasonic Parts Cleaner Size
Here are the key points to consider:
- Parts you are cleaning
- Cleaning tank dimensions
- The importance of “working depth”
- The role of cleaning baskets
- Cleaning solution volume and service volume
1. What Parts are you Cleaning?
Ultrasonic parts cleaning has proved a very effective and economical way to remove all types of contaminants from nearly anything that can be safely … Read the rest
Introducing the Elmasonic Select Line: Programmable Cleaning, Five Ultrasonic Modes
Elmasonic Select ultrasonic cleaners available from Tovatech feature 5 ultrasonic modes to simplify task setting and supervision for parts cleaning and maintenance, sample prep, and solvent degassing plus up to 4 commonly used programs for quick call up and reproducible results.
- 5 ultrasonic modes for powerful, rapid, thorough, reproducible cleaning and mixing
- 3 cleaning cycle parameters: mode, temperature to 80⁰C/176⁰F, and timer to 6 hours
- Store up to 4 programs for quick call-up and reproducible results
- Brilliant digital display clearly shows all operating parameters
- Audio/visual signal at cycle completion
- 11 tank sizes with operating capacities from 0.7 to 24 gallons
Elmasonic Select Product Features
Customize your ultrasonic cleaning or sample prep projects by putting these features to work in your shop or laboratory:
| Sweep | For uniform cleaning via a slight ± variation in ultrasonic frequency |
| Pulse | Brief spikes in power to remove stubborn contaminants or for mixing and sample prep |
Ultrasonic Cleaning Preserves New and Old Vinyl Records
A Sound Way to Clean Vinyl Records
Why Audiophiles use Ultrasound to Maintain and Restore Fidelity
The Wall Street Journal reports LP record popularity surged in the U.S., selling 41.7 million units, up from 21.5 million in 2020. Sales of LPs nearly doubled in 2021, outselling CDs for the first time in 30 years. Those boxes of vintage vinyl in your attic or garage may also excite collectors willing to pay big bucks. “Collectors know the real vinyl money lies in original pressings and rare vinyl records,” according to an article in Work+Money.
Experts Explain: Ultrasonic Cleaners Maintain New and Restore Vintage Vinyl
Employing ultrasound to maintain new and restore vintage vinyl is accomplished using an ultrasonic cleaner equipped to quickly and safely handle the project.
Cleaning Tips for Vinyl Record Collectors
Gerry, a collector in Spring Hill, Florida, has 4500 LPs and 45s. “For maintaining (or restoring) this … Read the rest
Ultrasonic Cleaner for Dental Instruments
Using an ultrasonic cleaner for dental instruments is a recommend practice cited by professional organizations including the American Dental Association, the Food and Drug Administration and the CDC’sSummary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settingsto remove contaminants from reusable dental instruments.
Clinics employ ultrasonic cleaners for dental instruments before sterilization to avoid heat “baking on” blood, tissue and other organic residues that cause infection problems. Dental instrument ultrasonic cleaning systems are also ideal for cleaning molds, implant hybrid prosthesis, and removing plaster and cement from bridgework.
Why Clinics Need an Ultrasonic Cleaner for Dental Instruments
Ultrasonic energy creates billions of minute vacuum bubbles in an ultrasonic cleaning bath that implode with tremendous force when they contact dental instruments.
The process, called cavitation, reaches into tiny cracks and crevices, quickly and safely blasting loose and carrying away contaminants on dental instrument surfaces. Dental instrument ultrasonic cleaners are faster, … Read the rest