Free consulting services are a normal part of the Zenith sales process
Free consulting services are a normal part of the Zenith sales process. Some of our customers have no experience with ultrasonic while others have years of experience. However, even those with years of experience will be surprised at the information we provide during the sales process. There is always something new to learn. We don’t know of a single university or learning institution that has a course dedicated to ultrasonic cleaning, yet nearly every engineer will encounter them at some point in their career
In addition, each application is different from another. Part shapes, materials of construction, location of blind holes, smallest hole size, internal channels and passages, contaminants and other differences all play a major role in the type of ultrasonic cleaner that would be most suitable for a given application. Fortunately, Zenith has the experience and equipment which is required to satisfy any ultrasonic cleaning application
What is involved with Zenith’s consulting service?
Every ultrasonic cleaning application that comes across our desks requires an initial evaluation during which information is gathered, some of which includes:
- The design of the parts being cleaned
- The material of construction of the parts
- The cleanliness required by the customer (are water spots acceptable or is zero-residue cleaning required).
- The number of parts that need to be cleaned per hour
- The type of system preferred (Automated, semi-automated, or manually-operated)
Once the above information is gathered, the next step would be to recommend that parts be test-cleaned to not only allow the customer to determine if the cleaning results will be acceptable but also to allow our engineers to develop a complete cleaning process for them. We will determine the best cleaning agent to use, its concentration and temperature, contact time with the ultrasonic cleaning chamber, best ultrasonic frequency or combination of frequencies to use, the number of tanks required to conserve water while providing the end result desired, drying time, best part orientation, and other parameters. By the time the testing is done, there will be no guesswork on the customer’s end and once the machinery is delivered, they will know exactly how to set the system up for the best possible performance.
What is required to submit parts for ultrasonic testing?
Simply contact Zenith directly to set up the test. We normally request that some of the smallest and largest parts being cleaned are submitted with contaminants that are typical for the cleaning application. Once the parts are received, we will optically evaluate them, determine which cleaning agents and ultrasonic systems to test with, and begin testing. The amount of time this testing takes depends upon the number of cleaning agents and ultrasonic systems that are needed to test in, and the number of tests currently in queue, but the typical turn-around time for testing is about 2 weeks. A lab report will be included that details how the parts were tested, and equipment recommendations will be made. Parts will be bagged separately and clearly labeled to allow our customers to evaluate which detergents and processes worked best for their parts. Additional information can be found on our test cleaning page.
What can I expect when contacting Zenith for assistance?
With our free consulting services, you can expect to speak with an engineer with many decades of hands-on experience with ultrasonic cleaning systems. There is a major difference between having a degree from a university that did not teach ultrasonic cleaning and an engineer that has personally test-cleaned thousands of parts for customers with every conceivable contaminant. This experience means EVERYTHING, and you will immediately notice a huge difference in how you are treated as a potential customer. We will provide you with important information regarding the ultrasonic process and how it applies to your application, answer all of your questions immediately, help you understand the logic behind our recommendations, and will NOT drive you crazy with repeated telephone calls and e-mails. We will contact you just enough to serve you, but not enough to bother you.