Ultrasonic Cleaner

Specification

Technical parameters

Overview

An ultrasonic cleaner drives a transducer at a frequency well above hearing, typically 25 to 45 kHz. The resulting pressure waves form and collapse microscopic bubbles in the liquid — cavitation — and that collapse is what scrubs contamination off surfaces, including the inside of jewel holes and the underside of wheel teeth.

Frequency sets the character of the cleaning. Lower frequencies produce larger, more energetic bubbles and clean faster but can be too aggressive for delicate or plated parts. Higher frequencies produce finer cavitation that reaches smaller features more gently. For watch parts, a higher frequency in a smaller tank is usually the better combination.

The cleaner is only half the process. Parts must be washed in a basket in solvent, rinsed in clean solvent, and then dried properly — usually with heat and forced air. Skipping the rinse just redistributes the contamination you removed back onto the parts.

What matters about it

• Cleans inside jewel holes and under wheel teeth
• Frequency sets aggressiveness versus reach
• Heated tanks improve cleaning speed
• Basket loading protects parts from the tank floor
• Needs a rinse and dry stage to be effective

Practical notes

• Degass a fresh bath for a minute before loading parts — bubbles in solution reduce cavitation.
• Use a basket and a lid; parts resting on the tank floor get pitted.
• Rinse in clean solvent and dry with heat; air-drying alone leaves spotting.
• Do not clean a complete movement, a dial or a painted part in an ultrasonic bath.

Compatible with