ULTRASONIC CLEANING: TINY BUBBLES DO THE WORK.

Solvent cleaning of metals is on the way out. The technology will continue to be used where no viable alternatives exist, but in those cases where solvents are not the only possible choice, the EPA will continue pressing manufacturers to seek other methods. One alternative to traditional methods is ultrasonic cleaning. Though this technology still makes use of aqueous- or solvent-based cleaning solutions, it is said to be cost-effective, efficient and environmentally preferable. In an ultrasonic system, the metal is scrubbed by cavitation, a complex phenomenon that involves the implosion of thousands of vapor bubbles in the solution.