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Title: Tools for measuring surface cleanliness

Abstract

A procedure and tools for quantifying surface cleanliness are described. Cleanliness of a target surface is quantified by wiping a prescribed area of the surface with a flexible, bright white cloth swatch, preferably mounted on a special tool. The cloth picks up a substantial amount of any particulate surface contamination. The amount of contamination is determined by measuring the reflectivity loss of the cloth before and after wiping on the contaminated system and comparing that loss to a previous calibration with similar contamination. In the alternative, a visual comparison of the contaminated cloth to a contamination key provides an indication of the surface cleanliness.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Hendersonville, NC
  2. Simpsonville, SC
  3. Greenville, SC
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
General Electric Co., Schenectady, NY (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
874474
Patent Number(s):
6397690
Assignee:
General Electric Company (Schenectady, NY)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B08 - CLEANING B08B - CLEANING IN GENERAL
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
DOE Contract Number:  
FC21-95MC31176
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
tools; measuring; surface; cleanliness; procedure; quantifying; described; target; quantified; wiping; prescribed; flexible; bright; white; cloth; swatch; mounted; special; tool; picks; substantial; amount; particulate; contamination; determined; reflectivity; loss; contaminated; comparing; previous; calibration; similar; alternative; visual; comparison; key; provides; indication; measuring surface; /73/

Citation Formats

Schroder, Mark Stewart, Woodmansee, Donald Ernest, and Beadie, Douglas Frank. Tools for measuring surface cleanliness. United States: N. p., 2002. Web.
Schroder, Mark Stewart, Woodmansee, Donald Ernest, & Beadie, Douglas Frank. Tools for measuring surface cleanliness. United States.
Schroder, Mark Stewart, Woodmansee, Donald Ernest, and Beadie, Douglas Frank. Tue . "Tools for measuring surface cleanliness". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874474.
@article{osti_874474,
title = {Tools for measuring surface cleanliness},
author = {Schroder, Mark Stewart and Woodmansee, Donald Ernest and Beadie, Douglas Frank},
abstractNote = {A procedure and tools for quantifying surface cleanliness are described. Cleanliness of a target surface is quantified by wiping a prescribed area of the surface with a flexible, bright white cloth swatch, preferably mounted on a special tool. The cloth picks up a substantial amount of any particulate surface contamination. The amount of contamination is determined by measuring the reflectivity loss of the cloth before and after wiping on the contaminated system and comparing that loss to a previous calibration with similar contamination. In the alternative, a visual comparison of the contaminated cloth to a contamination key provides an indication of the surface cleanliness.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002}
}