Ultrasonic Wire Cleaning Systems

Wire cleaning is a difficult task when compared to most traditional ultrasonic cleaning applications. The contaminant, typically a sodium or calcium-based dry lubricant, is pressed deeply into the surface of the material as it passes through the wire drawing process. In some cases, liquid lubricants may also be used which are less difficult to remove. Not only are the contaminants highly bonded to the surface, wire manufacturing processes are performed at elevated speeds, which reduces the contact time between the wire and the cleaning operation. To overcome the difficulties associated with wire cleaning operations, Zenith developed 2 high-speed wire cleaning systems as well as a pre-annealing cleaning system designed to remove contaminants prior to annealing of multiple wires. These systems include an extended ultrasonic cleaning chamber, an ultrasonic or spray rinsing chamber, and high-speed air drying systems to clean wire with the most stubborn contaminants at high rates of speed. Additional features, such as an additional blow-off operation between cleaning and rinsing areas, conserve the use of water, and ensure perfect results with little equipment maintenance. In the past, manufacturers of wire relied on spray washing systems to address the removal of oils and particles from the product. However, there are limitations to these designs. The primary complaint of customers owning spray washing systems for wire is the consumption of water, leaking seals and spray which contaminates the environment, and continuous spray nozzle maintenance. All of these issues are non-existent on a Zenith SSW wire cleaning system. A Zenith Ultrasonic Wire Cleaning System overcomes the limitations of a spray washing system by utilizing the precision, low-maintenance cleaning capabilities of ultrasonic cleaning technology. By incorporating this technology, and extending the length of the ultrasonic cleaning chamber, dry and liquid wire lubricants are quickly and effectively removed.