CONTRACT SERVICES
Precision Cleaning and Validation Services
The challenges of small volume production using just-in-time (JIT) or customized product manufacturing requires that manufacturers find ways to improve productivity, increase product yields, and to lower manufacturing costs. Outsourcing precision parts cleaning and cleanliness validation testing is a very smart way of achieving this, particularly for small batches of precision parts that require selective cleaning or surface treatment. For example, contract cleaning is a very good option for specialized cleaning of components such as pressure gauges used in high pressure oxygen systems or components such as silicone-insulated electronic cables used in clean or vacuum environments.
Our contract cleaning services utilize our CO2– and plasma-based clean manufacturing processes and products, and include:
- CO2 Composite Spray Cleaning
- Atmospheric Plasma Surface Treatment
- Class 100 Cleaning Mini-Environment Processing (Ionized)
- Cleanliness Validation Testing
- Value-Added Assembly (i.e., Adhesive Bonding)
- Clean Packaging
- Cleaning and Contamination Control Specification Drafting
Our cleanliness validation procedures include both in-house metrology and specialized testing performed by an outside certified testing laboratory:
- Dark Field and Stereo Microscopy – Digital Imaging
- Surface Energy and Contact Angle Measurements – Polar and Nonpolar
- Optically Stimulated Electron Emission (OSEE) for Metal Surfaces
- ASTM E595 Outgas Tests – Total Mass Loss and Volatile Condensable Matter
- Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
- X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS)
- Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy
- Light Induced Fluorescence (LIF) Spectroscopy
WHAT DO OUR CUSTOMERS SAY
The purpose of surface cleaning is to remove deposits that might cause damage through abrasion, absorption of acidic gases, or serve as medium for mould growth.
Simple dry cleaning of surfaces using erasers and sponges requires contact with surface which might also cause alteration of surface properties (flattening, eraser residues). With respect to basic requirement to avoid material degradation an alternative non-contact method might be CO2 snow jet cleaning performed using a Precision Spray Cleaning Pen (SnoPen SP 2000, Cleanlogix).
Artificialy soiled samples of wood-based and cotton-based paper were cleaned by the CO2 snow jet with a carbon dioxide flow rate of 3.0 g/s and a nitrogen flow rate of 1.4 l/s and by the nitrogen jet at the same flow rate. Paralel samples were cleaned by traditional mechanical cleaning methods. The effect of treatment was evaluated by optical microscopy.
The results showed that the CO2 snow jet cleaning effectively removed particles in the lower layers of the paper surface, including interfiber spaces.
The CO2 snow jet cleaning compared with the mechanical dry cleaning showed similar effectiveness without any adverse effects on the paper surface. It was proved that the CO2 snow technique is a suitable method for cleaning common types of paper materials.
As a company that produces products of the highest quality, CICOIL chooses Clean Imagineering for the following reasons.
- Reliability: Clean Imagineering has proven itself by consistently delivering products of the highest quality;
- Flexibility: Clean Imagineering friendly staff is very willing to work with us to tailor their processes/procedures to meet our stringent requirements;
- Cost: Clean Imagineering is able to process larger batches than their competitor, therefore providing significant cost savings for CICOIL;
- Location: This not only saves time and money on shipping, but also allows CICOIL to support our local economy;
- Knowledge: When faced with a new and particularly hard to remove contaminant, we were able to draw upon Clean Imagineering's vast experience and knowledge to provide us with a solution.