Trial Purpose:
To identify safer cleaning solvent for removing oil, lubricant and grease from sub assemblies.
Date Run:
07/13/2000Experiment 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.
