How to Ultrasonically Clean Epoxy Dispensing Nozzles

Epoxy resin adhesives used in manufacturing liquid crystal display (LCD) screens and similar applications are applied to surfaces with automated dispensing machines through precisely machined nozzles.

As an example a nozzle can be 2.5 cm long with a 0.2 to 0.5 mm diameter tip at the point of dispensing. It is affixed into an approximately 80 x 60 x 50 mm module that receives epoxy by pneumatic pressure.

During the process the epoxy temperature is high enough to keep it liquefied. At the end of a cycle it quickly solidifies in the module and nozzle and must be removed. 

Cleaning is performed daily after equipment shut-down. Manually scrubbing these assemblies is unsatisfactory for two reasons:

  1. it is not thorough, resulting in substandard epoxy application and
  2. it can damage the precise nozzle configuration. 

How Ultrasonic Cavitation Delivers Fast, Safe, Epoxy Dispenser Cleaning

In contrast to mechanical scrubbing an ultrasonic cleaner is … Read the rest

Ultrasonic Cleaning Options for Plastic Injection Molds

Injection-molded plastic parts are everywhere a part of our daily life.  Polymers in a variety of formulations are used to produce these components by being injected into intricately designed molds and subjected to heat and pressure.  Because molds represent substantial investments they must be cleaned on a regular basis.  Ultrasonic cleaners are recognized across the injection molding industry as a safe, thorough alternative to manual scrubbing, which is a time-consuming process that can damage highly finished mold surfaces while missing contaminants in blind holes, cavities, cores and pins.

The contaminants produced by injection molding operations are tenacious.  Examples include flashing, mold release compound, burned-on plastic residues, carbonization and vent outgas residue that if not safely removed will quickly shorten mold life.

The solution is the powerful cavitation action of an ultrasonic cleaner that creates millions of minute bubbles in an ultrasonic cleaning bath comprised of water and a biodegradable ultrasonic … Read the rest