Optimally adapted concepts and solutions for the highest purity in series production

Through customized process and plant development, ultrasonic cleaning systems reliably and efficiently meet the highest particulate and film cleanliness requirements. (Image source: UCM AG)

The Swiss UCM AG has been setting standards for 25 years when it comes to precision cleaning. (Image source: UCM AG)

The high-tech and extreme-purity sectors, precision optics, as well as measurement and medical technology, are among the industries for which UCM has been designing future-oriented ultrasonic cleaning solutions for a quarter of a century. (Image source: UCM AG)

Requirements for the particular cleanliness of up to one micrometer and below, as well as strict specifications regarding film surface contamination – this is the area of expertise where Swiss UCM AG has set standards for 25 years. The forward-looking, multi-stage ultrasonic cleaning solutions impress not only with innovative technology and high process safety but also with their long service life.

Although components from the fields of high-tech and extreme purity, for example for EUV (extreme ultraviolet radiation) lithography, precision optics, measurement, and medical technology, are very different, they share a commonality: The requirements for surface cleanliness that must be met in series production are extremely high and continue to increase. This concerns both particulate contamination and film residues, stains, and discolorations, as well as biological and ionic contaminations depending on the industry. And more frequently, outgassing limits for volatile organic and inorganic impurities in the atomic percentage range are added as cleanliness criteria.

With customized, forward-looking cleaning solutions for these complex tasks, UCM AG, which is the competence center for precision cleaning within the SBS Ecoclean Group, has been making a name for itself for 25 years. This applies regardless of whether the multi-stage ultrasonic cleaning systems are used for cleaning between individual manufacturing steps or for fine cleaning before assembly.

High-end systems with individual process and plant development

The success of the company based in Rheineck, Switzerland, is based on, on the one hand, the renowned Swiss precision in which the systems are built at the company headquarters. On the other hand, it is the needs-based adaptation of the cleaning solution to the specific task that enables cost- and energy-efficient operation. This is achieved with original components under production-related conditions in the company's own technology center. Key criteria in designing the cleaning process and system include part geometry, material, contamination, and cleanliness requirements, as well as throughput and cycle time. Spray cleaning, pressure flooding, ultrasonic oscillators for various frequencies and power levels, VE rinsing, lift-out, and drying (hot air, infrared, and/or vacuum), as well as circulation and filter systems, can be individually combined. Different processes, such as passivation, can also be integrated. Additionally, industry-specific features and/or regulatory requirements play a role. These include, for example, validation of cleaning processes in medical technology and the requirements of the new European Medical Devices Regulation (MDR), whose transition period ended in May 2020.

For use in a clean environment, the systems are fully enclosed and equipped with a clean air supply. By simulating laminar airflow within the system, very high cleanliness standards of the environment, such as cleanroom class 6 and lower, can also be met. An implementation of the system for integration into a cleanroom is also possible.

UCM also offers support in designing part-specific cleaning containers and fixtures such as rotary, swivel, and static racks.

New Efficiency-Line for high cleanliness requirements

In response to increasingly stringent specifications for particulate and film cleanliness in many industries, UCM is developing the Efficiency-Line. The design of these products for precision cleaning incorporates the company's extensive experience and proven technology in fine cleaning. The scalable systems of this new product line are characterized by an efficient segment construction. They can be designed for defined applications with manageable effort and enable economical operation. Furthermore, the products are available within a relatively short delivery time. This makes the Efficiency-Line cleaning systems an ideal solution for companies that need to meet defined cleanliness standards under high competitive pressure.