Ultrasonic Wire Cleaner DRS2500-4S – De-Bottlenecking Wire Cleaning
The ultrasonic wire cleaning machine DRS2500-4S is a powerful and efficient machine for the effective inline cleaning of continuous endless materials such as wires, rods and strips. The DRS2500-4S is a robust system, that can be easily installed or retro-fitted into wire drawing lines. Efficient cleaning at fast line speeds – the Hielscher DRS2500-4S helps to de-bottleneck the inline cleaning of endless profiles.
De-Bottlenecking the Cleaning of Endless Materials with DRS2500-4S Ultrasonic Inline Cleaner
With the modular cleaning system DRS2500-4S, cables, wires, strips, fibres, ropes, and other endless profiles can be efficiently cleaned continuously in a contact-less manner, yet applying physical effects generated by ultrasound-generated cavitation.
Contact-less Cleaning:
High-power ultrasound generates acoustic cavitation within the cleaning liquid, producing microscopic vapor bubbles that collapse violently near the wire surface. This phenomenon creates intense localized shear forces and micro-jets that effectively dislodge even persistent contaminants – without any mechanical contact. There is no contact with tools such as brushes, abrasives, or direct scrubbing that could cause wear, deformation, or surface damage. The result is a contactless yet highly efficient cleaning process, ideal for delicate or high-precision endless profiles.
A specially designed sonotrode for the ultrasonic cleaning treatment of endless profiles is used to generate sufficient amplitude and oscillation required in order to remove the contamination. Typical contaminations are lubricants, soaps, grease, dirt and dust from the wire or endless profile production process. High-efficiency air nozzles or air wipes for drying after the cleaning remove the cleaning medium. Hielscher ultrasonic inline cleaners can be customized to the individual cleaning requirements of your endless profiles.
Simple Installation:
Integration or retro-fitting into existing production lines can be easily done as the cleaner can be configured to your line and line speed. Additionally, the flow direction of the endless profile is variable.
Ultrasonic inline cleaning machine DRS2500-4S with special sonotrode and wire guide
DRS2500-4S: Ultrasonic Intensity Adapted to Your Cleaning Needs
The DRS2500-4S is a modular system that can be equipped with the ultrasonic power most suitable for your cleaning requirements. Customized to your cleaning needs, the DRS2500-4S can be outfitted with four sonicators.
Depending on the required cleaning intensity, you can choose from the following sonicator models:
The unique sonotrode design (see technical drawing on the left) for Hielscher inline cleaning systems transmits powerful amplitudes and creates intense acoustic cavitation, which removes drawing lubricants, soaps, dust and dirt particles reliably and efficient from the endless material that passes through the cleaning sonotrode. The standard sonotrodes are designed for cleaning materials with up to 20mm in diameter. Sonotrodes with holes for endless profiles with thicker diameters are available on request.
DRS2500-4S – 4-Tank Wire Cleaning System
The DRS2500-4S is designed for the high-performance cleaning of endless profiles in demanding environments. Endless profiles such as wires, cables, strips or rods pass an ultrasonic cavitation zone, where the material is cleaned in a contact-less, yet highly thorough process. Equipped with a 4-tank system, the Hielscher DRS2500-4S allows for emptying and refilling the tanks during operation without any interruption.
The system can be disassembled and all individual parts of Hielscher ultrasonic cleaners are easily accessible and can be changed if needed. Due to industrial-grade design, intelligent engineering and robustness, Hielscher ultrasonic inline cleaners require only very low maintenance and are reliable work horses – in continuous operation at 24/7/365 and at heavy duty.
The DRS2500-4S is equipped with connection ports for compressed air for drying after cleaning, fresh water, waste water and for emptying the residual tank. Accessibility and user-friendly design facilitate the daily operation.
Air Wipes: The Hielscher DRS2500-4S inline wire cleaning system features integrated air wipes designed to deliver a uniform 360-degree high-velocity airstream. This controlled airflow ensures efficient blow-off, drying, and liquid removal of wires, cables, and other endless profiles – supporting high-throughput processing with minimal contamination and thermal stress. These hot air nozzles dry the cleaned wire from cleaning liquid.
Belt Filter: Optionally available is an external fleece belt filter, which may be recommended when heavy particulate contamination should be removed from the cleaning liquid.
- Endless profiles
- Wires
- Rods
- Strips
- Fibres
- Copper wires
- Medical wires
- Punched metal strips
- Corrugated hoses
- Bondwire
- Solder wires
- Welding wires
- Threaded spindles and rods
- Spring wires
- Precious metal wires
- Other endless materials
Safe and comfortable operation via control panel of the ultrasonic inline wire cleaner DRS2500-4S
- high efficiency
- adjustable amplitude for best effects
- high amplitudes of up to 20 μm for intense cleaning
- removes even heavy, sturdy contamination
- contact-less, yet mechanical cleaning method
- for various diameters
- operation with water or mild cleaning agents
- air wipes for drying
- continuous operation
- robustness
- low maintenance
- built for 24/7/365 operation
Clean wires – Hielscher Ultrasonics makes it possible!
Wire guide of the ultrasonic inline cleaner DRS2500-4S
Ultrasonic Cleaning of Endless Profiles – How it Works
The ultrasonic processor operates at 20 kHz, generating longitudinal mechanical oscillations through electrical excitation of piezoelectric transducers – a phenomenon known as the inverse piezoelectric effect. These oscillations are transferred to a sonotrode mounted on the horn, which is engineered as a half-wavelength (λ/2) resonator to maximize amplitude and energy transfer. The vibrational energy is then transmitted from the sonotrode’s radiating surface into the liquid medium, which is continuously pumped through the tanks.
At a frequency of 20,000 oscillations per second, the sonotrode produces high-amplitude mechanical vibrations, reaching peak displacements of up to 20 µm. This induces acoustic cavitation within the fluid – rapid formation, growth, and implosive collapse of microbubbles. The collapse of these cavitation bubbles results in extreme localized conditions, with transient temperatures exceeding several thousand Kelvin, pressures in the range of hundreds of atmospheres, and intense shear forces.
These highly dynamic micro-environments enable the non-contact, yet intense cleaning of surface contaminants from endless profiles such as wires, rods, tapes, and strip, making ultrasonic inline cleaners a powerful tool for precision cleaning in high-performance manufacturing lines.
Literature / References
- Brochure “Ultrasonic Wire Cleaning – Hielscher Ultrasonics
- Leighton, Timothy; Birkin, Peter; Offin, Doug (2013): A new approach to ultrasonic cleaning. International Congress on Acoustics, January 2013.
- Fuchs, John F. (2002): Ultrasonic Cleaning: Fundamental Theory and Applications. In: Proceedings of Precision Cleaning May 15-17, 1995, Rosemont, IL, USA.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Contact-Less Cleaning?
Contact-less cleaning in the context of ultrasonic cleaning refers specifically to the absence of mechanical contact between the cleaning system and the target object (e.g., wire or cable).
The cleaning action occurs via acoustic cavitation in a liquid medium, so physical interaction still occurs indirectly through the fluid and the pressure fields generated in it.
What are the Methods for Efficient Inline Wire Cleaning?
Efficient inline wire cleaning methods include ultrasonic cavitation, high-pressure water jets, chemical or solvent baths, mechanical wiping or brushing, and air knives. Ultrasonics are particularly effective for non-contact removal of fine contaminants, offering high cleaning performance without damaging the wire surface.
What Step is Cleaning in Wire Manufacturing?
Cleaning is typically positioned after wire drawing or stranding, and before extrusion, coating, or heat treatment. It ensures surface purity, which is critical for downstream adhesion, electrical performance, and corrosion resistance.
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