Trial Purpose:
To evaluate alternative contact cleaners.
Date Run:
11/12/2004Experiment Procedure:
Four alternative contact cleaners were selected from the laboratories inventory. Each product, including the client's current cleaner were used at full strength at room temperature. Three of the five products were in supplied to the lab in spray cans. Two products had to be applied using a manual spray pump. (The Ak225 does come in a spray can but was not available at the time of testing).
Eighteen preweighed 6061 aluminum coupons were coated with Fuch's Lubricants Renocut 6515 NC (mineral oil, vegetable oil) using a hand held swab. Coupons were allowed to sit for over an hour. A second set of weights were recorded to determine the amount of soil added.
Three coupons were sprayed with each contact cleaner for about 30 seconds and allowed to air dry. In addition to the cleaners, compressed air was also used to clean a set of three coupons. Final clean weights were recorded and efficiencies were calculated.
Trial Results:
Four of the five products tested removed over 90% of the lubricant using the minimal spray cleaning time. No product removed more than the client's current cleaner. The Gemtek product had a lower efficiency than the compressed air. The table below lists the amount of soil added, the amount remaining and the efficiency for each coupon cleaned.
| Cleaner | Initial wt | Final wt | % Removed |
| Micro X | 0.2193 | 0.0012 | 99.45 |
| 0.1798 | 0.0028 | 98.44 | |
| 0.1270 | 0.0031 | 97.56 | |
| Heavy Duty Degreaser C | 0.2651 | 0.0202 | 92.38 |
| 0.2505 | 0.0055 | 97.80 | |
| 0.1663 | 0.0196 | 88.21 | |
| Flux Remover C | 0.3089 | 0.0185 | 94.01 |
| 0.1857 | 0.0084 | 95.48 | |
| 0.3141 | 0.0053 | 98.31 | |
| SC Evaporative Electronics Cleaner | 0.2403 | 0.1001 | 58.34 |
| 0.3344 | 0.0720 | 78.47 | |
| 0.2086 | 0.0733 | 64.86 | |
| AK 225 | 0.3502 | 0.0127 | 96.37 |
| 0.3829 | 0.0192 | 94.99 | |
| 0.2876 | 0.0150 | 94.78 | |
| Air blow off | 0.2006 | 0.0492 | 75.47 |
| 0.1273 | 0.0513 | 59.70 | |
| 0.2329 | 0.0570 | 75.53 |
Success Rating:
Results successful using TACT (time, agitation, concentration, and temperature, as well as rinsing and drying) and/or other cleaning chemistries examined.Conclusion:
A follow up test will be conducted on the same alternative cleaners for slightly longer times and added air blow off for the Gemtek product.
