Since the early 1980's MC2 has been involved with Carbon Dioxide (CO2) "snow" cleaning and was one of the early adopters and promoters of the technology, and hold U.S. and European patents for the technology. MC2 has developed, designed, and implemented CO2 cleaning systems for consumer electronics, aerospace, optics, ceramics, and other industries. The systems have ranged from handheld to fully automated equipment for large-scale operations.
The CO2 Snow Cleaning process removes micron and submicron particulates and hydrocarbon-based contamination. It is a nondestructive, nonabrasive, residue-free, and environmentally friendly - there is no chemical waste. The process is based on the expansion of either liquid or gaseous caron dioxide through an orifice. This expansion leads to the nucleation of small dry ice particles and a high velocity gas carriere stream. Upon impacet with a dirty surface, the diry ice media removes jparticles by momentum transfer, even micron and submicron particulates, and hydrocarbons via a transient solvent or a freeze fracture mechanism. The high-velocity gas blows the contaminantws away.
Carbon Dioxide Snow cleaning can be used for either initial or fianal cleaning, and for numerous critical and noncritical cleaning applications iln the semicondductor, disk drive, research, vacuum technologies, surface science, surface analysis, optical, mimedical, automotive, analytical instrument, and manufacturing communities.
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CASE STUDIES
The following are several examples of how companies were helped through a Contamination Control Assessment.
CASE STUDY #1: Based on the results of a comprehensive Contamination Control Assessment at a Fortune 100 electronics manufacturer, combined with subsequent studies on the improvement of the cleaning process of a major subsystem component, a fully automated robotic CO2 cleaning system was designed, built and installed. The system: 1). Eliminated a costly, labor-intensive aqueous cleaning process; 2). Increased the effectiveness of removal of contaminants, depending on type, between 30% and 70%; 3). Totally eliminated rust on the components caused by the aqueous cleaning process; 4). Increased real throughput product yield; 5). Reduced handling damage; 6). Reduced lead time; and, 7). increased product life.
CASE STUDY #2: High-pressure aqueous cleaning used on an automotive engine component had a low efficiency of cleaning, leaving behind particle that would adversely affect engine performance. CO2 cleaning was investigated as a replacement for the high-pressure washer and tests were conducted to determine its effectiveness. The results showed that the CO2 cleaning process was highly effective in removing contaminants left in the part following the high-pressure aqueous cleaning process. Contaminants removed by the CO2 cleaning process were collected and examined by optical microscopy. Three types of contaminants were found: (1) Native or those which were from the materials comprising the component itself; (2) Environmental and process types from the manufacturing process and environment, and (3) Foreign, being those contributed by personnel, clothing, general handling, equipment, and machinery. The percentage of contaminants by type was found to be 90% of the native variety with the remaining 10% being from environmental and foreign sources.
