Your browser is out of date.

You are currently using Internet Explorer 7/8/9, which is not supported by our site. For the best experience, please use one of the latest browsers.

What is Ultrasonic Cleaning?

gun being cleaned with ultrasonics

As the world changes and advances further into the future, technology is constantly getting upgraded. Often the latest version of your smartphone is released, or there becomes a new way to watch television, cook your dinner, or drive your car. Rarely does a technology exist without being advanced upon is some way. However, there are few fundamental sciences that exist, and methods found years previously to harness these sciences in such a way that they are still as effective today as they were 50 years ago. Enter ultrasonic technology. According to an extensive history and description of ultrasonic cleaning done in the January 2014 issue of American Gunsmith, ultrasonics has been around since the early 1900s. Ultrasonics first hit its stride during World War I for use in submarine detection, and continued to be fashioned into different uses after that point. It wasn't until the 1950s that ultrasonic waves were found to be an effective surface scrubber if they had enough energy and were at the right frequency. This newfound ultrasonic cleaning,‚ is best described as a constant series of waves alternatively expanding and compressing. During expansion, microscopic bubbles are formed. When compressed, the bubbles are exposed to massive amounts of pressure, and then collapse with extreme force. This force created theoretically produces a heat of 20,000 ¬∞F. However, because of the microscopic size of these implosions‚ of force and the large amount of liquid in which the reactions occur, the energy release is buffered, causing the liquid to become warm. With the constant expansions and implosions both heating and agitating the liquid, this produces the desired scrubbing‚ effect of ultrasonic cleaning. With ultrasonic cleaning, you can clean any number of things. Depending on how much power you put into the ultrasonic waves, and what frequency is utilized, you can clean a variety of equipment. From big commercial parts to the intricate parts of a gun, dirt and grime is no match for the scrubbing power of an ultrasonic cleaner. If you would like to learn even more about ultrasonic cleaners and the technology behind them, you can visit our page at Ultrasonic Power Corporation. You can even check out a video of an ultrasonic cleaner in action!