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Trial Number 0

Trial Purpose:

To identify safer cleaning solvent for removing oil, lubricant and grease from sub assemblies.

Date Run:

07/13/2000

Experiment Procedure:

Eight cleaners were selected from the lab’s database of effective cleaning and vendor supplied information. All were diluted to 5% by volume using DI water in 600 ml beakers and heated to 130 F on a hot plate. Twenty-four preweighed coupons were coated with the Elf Cut 51 oil using a swab and weighed a second time. Three coupons were immersed in a solution agitated with a magnetic stir bar. Cleaning lasted for 5 minutes and was followed by a 30 second rinse with tap water at 120 F. Drying was performed with a Master Appliance Corp, Hot-air gun model HG-301A for one minute at 500 F. Coupons were weighed a final time and cleaning efficiencies were calculated.

SUBSTRATE MATERIAL: Aluminum Coupons
CONTAMINANTS: Elf Lubricant North America Elf Cut 51 (64742-53-6, 64742-52-5, 63449-39-8,8016-28-2)
CONTAMINATING PROCESS USED: Lubricant applied using hand held swab

Trial Results:

Four cleaners (Heatbath, Today & Beyond, United Laboratories and W.R. Grace) removed over 95% of the oil from the coupons. All but one cleaner averaged over 80% removal of the Elf Cut 51 oil. United Laboratories had the highest efficiency, 99.7%. Table 2 lists the calculated data for the eight cleaners.

Table 2. Calculated Cleaning Effectiveness

Cleaners AW Chesterton Buckeye Heatbath  Savogran T&B United W.R. Grace Watson
Coupon 1 93.15 81.3 98.72 92.92 97.87 99.51 96.22 78.28
Coupon 2 65.22 84.96 93.48 77.91 96.77 99.81 96.54 85.27
Coupon 3 67.57 79.89 97.62 94.44 99.1 99.81 93.12 89.1
Average 75.31 82.05 96.61 88.43 97.91 99.71 95.29 84.22

Success Rating:

Results successful using TACT (time, agitation, concentration, and temperature, as well as rinsing and drying) and/or other cleaning chemistries examined.

Conclusion:

The four cleaners above 95% removal will be used in the next phase of testing which will use ultrasonic energy.  The contaminant will switch to the Cello-Seal.

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