STS-030

Every tank runs at 40 kHz on transducers rated 60 W each: one under the 2 L tank, ten under the 30 L.

40 kHz gives small, fine cavitation bubbles: the right choice for small parts, instruments, jewellery, optics and electronics, where a gentle but thorough clean matters more than raw force.

The transducer count grows with the tank: 1 on the STS-020, 2 on the STS-030, 3 on the STS-060, 4 on the STS-090, 6 on the STS-150, 8 on the STS-200 and 10 on the STS-300. That gives between about 20 and 40 W of ultrasound per litre of bath.

Read more in the knowledge base

• 28 kHz or 40 kHz: which frequency cleans your part?
• Ultrasonic power density: watts per litre, and why big tanks need fewer

Drives the dissolved air out of a fresh bath, so the ultrasound works fully from the first minute.

Fresh tap water and freshly mixed chemistry hold dissolved air. Under ultrasound that air forms bubbles that cushion the implosions, so a new bath cleans poorly at first and sounds loud and hissing.

Degas runs the ultrasound in an on-off rhythm: the bubbles grow, rise and leave the liquid. Use it after every fresh fill or change of chemistry, for a few minutes before the first load.

Read more in the knowledge base

• Sweep and degas: what the two buttons on a digital generator do

Shifts the frequency slightly so the sound field keeps moving: no dead spots in the basket.

At one fixed frequency the sound forms standing waves: zones of strong and weak cavitation about 2 cm apart at 40 kHz. Parts in a weak zone clean slower.

Sweep moves the frequency up and down by a small amount, many times a second, so the zones keep moving and every surface gets the same treatment.

Read more in the knowledge base

• Sweep and degas: what the two buttons on a digital generator do
• The foil test: a one-minute check of cavitation

A built-in heater and thermostat keep the bath at the set temperature, up to 80 °C.

Most cleaners work best warm: oils and greases soften from about 40 to 60 °C, and the chemistry acts faster. Heaters range from 100 W on the small tanks to 800 W on the 20 and 30 L.

Switch the heater on early: a full STS-090 takes roughly an hour to go from 20 to 50 °C with its 300 W heater. During long cycles the ultrasound itself also warms the bath a few degrees.

Read more in the knowledge base

• Choosing the cleaning temperature

Set time from 1 to 99 minutes and the temperature on a digital panel; the display shows the countdown and the bath temperature.

The touch buttons sit on a flat panel that wipes clean. The timer stops the ultrasound automatically at the end of the cycle; the heater keeps holding the set temperature.

A thick, acid- and corrosion-resistant stainless steel tank that stands up to daily use with cleaning chemistry.

The tank is stainless steel with the transducers bonded under the floor. It resists the alkaline and mildly acidic cleaners used for workshop, laboratory and jewellery work.

Never run the tank empty, and do not let parts lie on the tank floor: use the basket.

Read more in the knowledge base

• Tank material and wall thickness

From the STS-060 up, a ball valve on the side empties the bath without lifting the unit.

Connect a hose to the valve and drain the used bath into a container. A full STS-300 holds up to 30 litres, too heavy to tip safely.

The STS-020 and STS-030 have no valve; they are light enough to empty by hand.

A stainless steel lid and basket come with every unit.

Use the basket: parts must not lie on the tank floor, where they damp the ultrasound and wear the tank. The lid keeps heat and vapour in and lowers the noise.

Larger STS models carry up to 30 to 50 kg of parts in the basket.

Read more in the knowledge base

• Loading the basket: shadowing, orientation and how much is too much

Our most economical benchtop range with degas and sweep, for routine cleaning where the SX functions are not needed.

The STS covers what most benches need: heat, degas, sweep and a timer. If you need pulse, power steps, a memory or the quieter digitally controlled generator, choose the SX.

Models with a price shown can be ordered by e-mail at that price; every other size is quoted on request.