Observe, evaluate! Look at the cleaning machine; look at the company trying to sell you that cleaning machine. It is difficult to grasp how the cleaning equipment will fit into the manufacturing space and the process requirements based on brochures, video clips, web sites, and drawings alone. Once the Cleaning Team has identified at least one promising option for new cleaning equipment or have found several promising choices, get out there and look. In fact, it makes sense to look at more than one cleaning machine supplier and more than one type of cleaning machine. Look at the equipment in operation; look at how the cleaning machines are fabricated; determine how the cleaning machine performs during day-to-day operation.
Find a supplier/partner
For reliable trouble-free manufacturing, the Cleaning Team is looking at the technical capabilities of the cleaning machine. Beyond that, the Cleaning Team should be finding a supplier/partner, not a vendor. Seeing what the equipment supplier has to offer includes more than the equipment itself. It involves their expertise in design, their pertinent experience in critical product cleaning, and their understanding of regulatory requirements. The seller of the cleaning equipment may continue to work with your company over a period of years, if not decades. The supplier/partner must have people with the technical expertise and the infrastructure to address and support your cleaning, surface prep and process requirements. A great supplier/partner helps when the regulatory landscape shifts. A supplier/partner is not a forever collaboration – there is no “happily ever after.’ A supplier/partner may no longer have the technology required for the new cleaning process; technical support, and manufacturing processes for the cleaning machines may not be what they were a few years ago. Here are techniques to determine that the cleaning machines being offered is the right fit and that the vendor will be a good supplier/partner.
Questions and check lists
Don’t wing it! Prior to the site visit, get together with the Cleaning Team and put together a list. A check list helps assure the requirements, preferences, questions and concerns of the Cleaning Team are addressed. On the check list, indicate the date, location, the names and contact information of those present, and the type of meeting (site visit, web meeting).
A check list makes a site visit run smoothy; a clip board can look professional. Please don’t wave the darn check list or clip board in the face of your host, the cleaning equipment manufacturer! This is a fact-finding, information-gathering mission; it’s not an audit or an interrogation. Start by saying “hi;” shake hands. Introduce the questions a bit later.
The cleaning equipment manufacturer often also supplies a list of questions for you to answer. Bring the answers to the site visit. The toughest questions, the questions that are most important for you to be aware of are:
What process precedes the cleaning process?
What process happens after cleaning?
What level of cleaning is required? What cleanliness metrics are used?
Even if the answers to some questions are a resounding “beats me,” work with the Cleaning Team make estimates and provide as much information as possible. Their tough questions may help the Cleaning Team to crystalize equipment requirements.
Be a detective
The goal is to observe astutely and to provide the Cleaning Team with pertinent, actionable information. Look, measure, photograph the equipment with people. Include photos of parts being loaded into the machine and cleaned. Observe the manufacturing environment. These observations go beyond checking the boxes. Debbie Carboni points out that solutions to interesting problems have been found by stepping back and looking at the interaction of materials, equipment, process parameters, environmental parameters, and people. As Debbie points out, what makes it all click sits between the process flow boxes.
How does the environment near the machine “feel”? Is there a high level of humidity? Very high humidity creates an unpleasant environment for workers, and high humidity can damage the product and the manufacturing facility itself. Do your eyes water? Can you smell, taste, or otherwise sense the presence of cleaning agent? While odor (or lack thereof) does not necessarily correlate with toxicity, objectionable odors can be a barrier to new process acceptance. Further, particularly with aqueous processes, odors can indicate bacterial contamination.
Workmanship
What materials of construction are used? Look at the interior of the cleaning baths. An ultrasonic bath with visible welding on the interior provides surfaces that are readily degraded during use. Note obvious leaks in the system. It is surprising, but sometimes cleaning equipment ostensibly meant to be sold can leak.
For in-line and for spray-in-air equipment, look at the number and location of the spray nozzles. Is the spray likely to access your assembly or product? For ultrasonic systems, look at the location of transducers.
Ask to open or remove the doors and panels; look inside. Are the electronics arranged in a logical manner; and are they clearly labelled? How easy is it to access and repair mechanical and electrical parts of the cleaning machine?
Look for thoughtful, logical design. While this is a very non-specific suggestion, we find that if equipment appears to be designed in a logical manner, it’s a good indicator that the designers know what they are talking about. Logical design is often associated with quality. If any part of the cleaning machine appears to be configured strangely, ask about why they particular design was selected.
Location in your facility
Determine how the new cleaning machine will fit in your facility. Take photos, lots of photos. Look at what you have now and compare it with what you are considering. Have measurements of the current cleaning equipment including length, width, and height for comparison with the cleaning equipment under consideration. Take measurements of the equipment under consideration. Look at the design of physical objects associated with the new cleaning machine, including robotic arms and storage tanks or separation for cleaning agents. Standing next to the cleaning machine and associated object makes it easier to visualize how much space it takes and the placement in your facility. Are doors and ceilings high enough? Observe one or more cleaning runs. Determine how employees load and unload the parts. Sometimes, a staircase is needed. Ask why.
Parts handling and fixturing
The right fixturing involves assuring positioning the parts so that they are cleaned effectively without damage. While the cleaning process may be automated, effective racking and fixturing can require significant time and effort by assemblers. If there is an opportunity, ask to fixture parts yourself. If fixturing is difficult for you, assemblers will probably also find it to be a royal pain. In addition to the cycle time, determine if significant time and effort will be needed to load and unload as well as to position parts in the fixture. If your company gets more business and fixturing is inconvenient, there will be a strong temptation to cut corners.
Don’t jump to conclusions!
A site visit is an important step in finding the right cleaning equipment and in finding a good supplier/partner. It’s not the final step before purchasing the product. Even if the cleaning machine checks all the boxes, even if the equipment manufacturer is very knowledgeable and receptive to collaboration, it’s best not to make a firm decision while at the “dealership.” Don’t be pressured into a decision. Equipment design and build take time; there are legitimate supply chain issues including costs. Cleaning equipment suppliers may tell you that if you don’t choose a particular model right now, the wait for new equipment could take months and months. Resist the temptation to make a snap decision. Sleep on it. Go back and discuss your observations and findings with the Cleaning Team.
Stay tuned for more about effective site visits.
References:
The Quest for New Cleaning Equipment: Series on Clean Source:
“Update or Replace Cleaning Equipment,” August, 2025
“New Cleaning Equipment Part 2 – Begin the Quest,” September, 2025
“The Quest for New Cleaning Equipment Part 3: Extreme Investment and High-Power Cleaning,” January, 2026
“The Quest for Cleaning Equipment, Part 4”, March, 2026
“Throughput and Critical Cleaning Equipment: The Quest for New Cleaning Equipment Part 5”, May, 2026
Debbie Carboni, Global Line Manager, Kyzen; LinkedIn post, August, 2026.
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