What we need to quote an ultrasonic cleaning system

A quotation for a cleaning machine is a design decision, and it is only as good as what we know about the parts. These are the questions we ask on every enquiry, why we ask them, and what a good answer looks like.

1. What will you clean?

Material, and the size and weight of the largest part. A photo or a drawing is worth a paragraph.

What it changes: the tank's useful dimensions, from the largest part plus clearance; the basket load rating; and the chemistry, because aluminium, zinc, brass and plastics each rule out some cleaners. It also sets the frequency: cast iron and steel at 28 kHz, machined aluminium and fine detail at 40 kHz.

If you do not know yet: the range of parts and the biggest one you can imagine going in.

2. What has to come off?

Oil, grease, coolant, chips, carbon, paint, polishing paste, flux, scale, biological soil. And where it sits: on the surface, in blind holes, in bores.

What it changes: the cleaner chemistry and the temperature, whether a soak stage is needed, whether the bath needs filtration or an oil skimmer, and the cycle time we quote. Carbon on cast iron and light oil on turned parts are different machines at the same tank size.

If you do not know yet: send a dirty part, or a photo of one, and tell us what process it comes from.

3. How many parts per batch and per day?

Baskets per hour, hours per day, days per week.

What it changes: whether one tank does it or a line is needed; the heating power, so the bath recovers between baskets; the filtration, because the bath life must cover the shift; and whether a lift or a transport carriage replaces a person with a hoist.

If you do not know yet: the number of parts a day today and what it might be in two years.

4. What result do you need?

Visually clean. Clean and dry. Clean before painting or coating. A particle-count or gravimetric cleanliness specification. Free of a specific residue before assembly.

What it changes: the number of stations. Wash only; wash, rinse, dry; or wash, rinse, demineralised rinse, dry. See multi-tank lines. A specification also decides the filter rating and whether we propose a trial cleaning on your parts before quoting.

If you do not know yet: what happens to the part after cleaning.

5. Which mains supply is available?

Voltage, phases, frequency, and the fuse rating at the point of installation.

What it changes: the heating power we can offer and therefore the recovery time; whether the generator is built for 230 V single-phase or 400 V three-phase; the cable and plug. A 400-litre tank on a 16 A single-phase circuit is a slow tank.

6. Where will it stand?

Floor space including access for loading, ceiling height for a lift, a drain and water connection nearby, extraction if the bath runs hot, forklift or crane access for delivery.

What it changes: the model, its orientation, whether the generator cabinet is remote, whether the tank needs castors, and the packing.

Questions we ask for specific systems

• Lift systems (AL, AU): which load and basket size, and are rinse and dry needed as separate stations beside the tank?
• Multi-tank lines (MT): how many stages, in which order, and what cycle time per basket?
• Spray washers (SPR): is spray preferred over immersion for these parts, and does the basket need to rotate?
• If still open: a required working volume, a required frequency, a cleaner you already use and want to keep.

What you get back

A quotation names the model, the tank and useful dimensions, ultrasonic and heating power, frequency, generator type, basket and load, the options included, the supply, the delivery time and the terms. Where the answers above leave a choice open, it says which assumption we made. Prices are per quotation; the website shows none except where a price has been approved for direct ordering.

The machine finder turns the first four answers into a shortlist in a minute, and the enquiry form sends them to an engineer.