What is Metal Finishing?
Metal finishing is a process where a coating or other treatment is added to the metal surface of an object in order to strengthen it, making it corrosion-resistant or to give it some other quality not found in the original metal surface. It is used across a variety of industries and for a wide array of purposes.
These include the automotive, electronics, aerospace, appliance, and telecommunications industries. Industrial metal finishing is responsible for many innovations we use in our modern society, such as many automobile parts, dental fillings, certain metal fasteners for construction and so on.
Metal finishing addresses some of the inherent flaws of certain types of metals by adding a layer or treatment that creates something new.
Types of Metal Finishing
The type of metal finishing used for a particular application depends on the type of metal, the application itself, and the type of treatment needed. Other factors include cost and time involved.
Below are a few examples of metal finishing techniques:
Electroplating – using an electric current, a metal or metal alloy is deposited onto the surface of a substrate metal that is immersed in a bath.
Electroless Plating – similar to electroplating, but uses a chemical reaction to facilitate the metal coating instead of electric current.
With cladding, the metal coating and substrate are put under immense heat and pressure in order to force a bond between them. This process can provide a thicker metal coating than either electroplating or electroless plating.
Passivation – involves the coating of a metal oxide on the surface of the object in order to slow down or stop the oxidation (rust) process.
As you can see, each of these metal finishing techniques differs widely in the method used. However, many of them also share an important commonality.
The Role of Ultrasonic Cleaning in Metal Finishing
In order for many types of metal finishing to work, the substrate must be absolutely clean and free from any contaminants. This requires thorough cleaning of the surface so there won’t be any failure of the application of the additional metal layer.
As with metal finishing techniques, there are also several types of cleaning techniques available to make sure the substrate surface is absolutely clean. One effective technique used across industries is ultrasonic cleaning. Ultrasonic cleaning is valued for its cost-effectiveness and its ability to thoroughly clean every surface of an object, even blind holes and crevices, with a minimum of labor required.
What is Ultrasonic Cleaning?
Simply put, ultrasonic cleaning means using the power of high-frequency sound for thorough and effective removal of contaminants. The object to be cleaned is placed in a liquid bath inside the cleaning unit. A piezoelectric transducer is activated, sending vibrations through a diaphragm, which in turn sends sound waves through the liquid.
These sound waves strike against the object, producing millions of microscopic bubbles. These bubbles instantly collapse upon formation, releasing jets of high-intensity energy. This physical effect, known as “cavitation,” gives the power to ultrasonic cleaning, blasting away at grime.
Ultrasonic cleaning power reaches every surface of the object to be cleaned, even down into blind holes and intricate crevices, something most cleaning techniques can’t claim.
How to Add Ultrasonic Cleaning to your Metal Finishing Operation
With the right partner, it’s easy and cost-effective to enhance your metal finishing operation with ultrasonic cleaning. Omegasonics, a leading ultrasonic cleaning company servicing many industries, offers a wide range of ultrasonic cleaning units designed specifically for the needs of their clients.
We’ll even work with you to design ultrasonic cleaning units customized for tank size, power levels and so on. Experts at Omegasonics can work with you to calculate your ROI (Return on Investment) and overall labor and time savings that you’ll see with adding ultrasonic cleaning to your metal finishing operations.
Want to know more about how ultrasonic cleaning can transform your precision cleaning operations? Call one of our ultrasonic experts at Omegasonics at 888-989-5560 or email us at . You can also get in touch with us by filling out our online contact form.
