Volume XXIII, Issue 1 - January 2026

Cleaning success depends on capital equipment, process flow, and more! We can help.

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“Good technical reading with the right amount of chemistry/cleaning science. Well done, very informative.”

Miguel Rodas, Environmental Compliance Inspector, City of Los Angeles

Feature Article

The Quest for New Cleaning Equipment Part 3: Extreme Investment and High-Power Cleaning

Barbara Kanegsberg and Ed Kanegsberg, BFK Solutions

Writing an enormous check for cleaning equipment can be scary. Manufacturers engaged in critical cleaning and surface prep understand that effective product cleaning is essential for rugged finishing and for product reliability. How much should you spend? Are you spending wisely? What is the “just right” decision? The decision of how much to spend and what kind of cleaning equipment to purchase is only as good as the knowledge and experience of you and your team. We love success stories; and we periodically report favorable case studies. Hearing that manufacturer purchases new cleaning equipment, and as a result, the company makes better product happily ever after provides reassurance. However, understanding why problems happen provides knowledge and true confidence. We provide two anonymous case studies where purchasing new cleaning machines did not result in a Hollywood ending. In the first case study, “Does costly equipment translate to more effective cleaning”? you will discover that investing in costly, well-designed, high quality cleaning equipment does not in and of itself guarantee success. – not without considering the combination of chemical properties and fixturing. The second example, “Does more power mean better cleaning?” learn why the answer is – not necessarily.

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KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

2026 PQCW Hands-On Cleaning Workshop - Day 1 of Parts Cleaning Conference

We’re back! The groundbreaking, acclaimed “One Day Hands-on Parts Cleaning Workshop” Is back! We’ll be in Columbus OH on July 7, 2026, the first day of the Gardner Business Media sponsored Parts Cleaning Conference and Workshop. Product Quality Cleaning Workshop instructors Darren Williams, Ed Kanegsberg, and Barb Kanegsberg are putting together another practical, enjoyable program. Last year’s participants included surface finishers, assemblers, managers, analytical chemists, and cleaning agent formulators. They had a productive and fun-filled day. Sign up!

Product Quality Cleaning Workshop Preliminary Schedule

8:00 – 8:30 Breakfast, check in

8:30 – Noon, Activities, Demonstrations

    • Become a molecule

    • Make water and oil mix

    • Ultrasonics

    • Rinsing, drying

    • Cleaning equipment

 AM Quiz

12:00 -- 1:15 Lunch, visit tabletops

1:15 – 4:30 PM, Activities, Demonstrations

    • Biological contamination

    • Cleaning, product damage, outgassing

    • Become a polymer

    • Fixture for effective cleaning - ultrasonics

    • How clean is clean enough

      • Compare cleaning, extraction, chromatography

      • Quick in-house testing, monitoring

      • Use outside labs efficiently

      • Meet the standards

    • Achieve the best cleaning process

 PM Quiz

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM reception with exhibitors

Sign up to attend workshop.

But wait, there’s more! – Days 2 & 3: Parts Cleaning Conference 2026

Gardner Business Media has announced the call for presentations for the July 8 – 9 Parts Cleaning Conference. Combined with the Parts Cleaning Workshop, that makes three days of cleaning! Three days of opportunities to solve your cleaning problems and to make manufacturing more productive. Be sure to submit your abstract. if you are provider of cleaning services or equipment, we invite you to also become a sponsor and table-top exhibitor.

More info here.

BFK Solutions. – independent consultants and practical educators

Our decades of experience help you make productive decisions about your cleaning processes, your manufacturing processes, your business. Contact Ed and Barbara Kanegsberg with concerns about cleaning, surface quality, regulatory issues - we’ll get back to you and discuss your cleaning issue, whether or not we do a project together! Suggest a topic – we may write about it! 

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