Gravimetric Testing Helps Parts Washer Provider Meet Specifications

To deal with today’s stringent cleanliness specifications in the parts washing industry, Midbrook, Inc. of Jackson, Michigan is routinely employing Gravimetric Testing. The Gravimetric (or Millipore) Test assures the manufacturer that a certain level of soil is not still left on the part after it has been cleaned in a production part cleaning system.

By determining the amount of contamination left on a cleaned part, a manufacturer can know whether or not they are meeting cleanliness specifications before the part is shipped to the customer. According to Jack Griffes of the Midbrook Technology Center, “Gravimetric testing is a fairly quick, repeatable method to quantify residual contamination remaining on parts.”

Meeting tough cleanliness specifications is a common challenge in the parts washing industry. Washer manufacturers must be able to assist their customers in complying with these specifications in order to maintain quality production and positive customer relationships. To insure specifications are met, accurate and reliable testing methods must be employed.

During the Gravimetric Test, the cleaned part is rinsed with a flushing solvent. The solvent, with contaminant, is collected and filtered through a pre-weighed membrane that has a specified micron rating. The membrane with the contaminant is then dried and weighed. The net weight equals the overall amount of contaminant left on the part.

Testing is important when dealing with cleanliness specifications. An objective measurement like the Gravimetric Test helps determine the amount of contamination on a part more reliably than a simple visual test. Contamination is often measured in microns. A micron equals one millionth of a meter or 1/25,400 of an inch, and under ideal lighting conditions the smallest dust visible is at least 50 microns in size. Gravimetric Testing is able to verify the weigh of the soil that remains on the part after the cleaning process, so that micron sized contamination is not overlooked because it is not readily visible. Griffes adds “Gravimetric testing gives you a way to monitor your process to insure your product is cleaner than your customer require.”

Meeting and exceeding expectation is a main goal of Midbrook. The Gravimetric Testing process is uniquely designed to allow manufacturers to deliver high quality parts that go beyond the basic specifications of a customer. According to Griffes, “assembling cleaner parts leads to a cleaner final product which increases longevity potential. “ By delivering a cleaner part, an overall higher quality product is produced.”