MicroCare, LLC

Parts cleaning used to be one of those steps people didn’t spend much time thinking about. It just needed to get the job done. That’s not the case anymore, at least not in most advanced manufacturing environments.

As products get smaller, more complex and more tightly regulated, cleaning has moved into the spotlight. It directly affects performance, reliability and compliance. Whether it’s a medical device, a circuit board, or a precisionmachined part, what’s left behind on the surface matters just as much as the part itself.

Because of that, manufacturers are rethinking how they approach cleaning. They are increasingly adopting a more intentional approach: using chemistry tailored to a specific application rather than a universal product.

From Standard Products to Tailored Formulations.

For years, general-purpose solvents and aqueous cleaners were the default. They worked well enough across a range of applications, and that was often sufficient.

But in advanced manufacturing, ‘good enough’ doesn’t hold up. Cleaning performance now depends on a precise combination of factors: the substrate, the type of contamination, the geometry of the part and what happens downstream. Change any one of those, and the outcome can shift quickly.

That’s why more manufacturers are moving away from off-the-shelf products and toward tailored cleaning fluid formulations. Instead of starting with a product, the process begins with the application: what needs to be removed, how it interacts with the material and how ‘clean enough’ will be defined and verified.

Once those questions are answered, chemists can design a formulation that fits the process rather than forcing the process to adapt to the chemistry.

A Real-World Example

One manufacturer producing precision medical device components ran into this issue firsthand. Their long-standing cleaning solvent was being phased out due to environmental concerns, while their parts were becoming more complex and harder to clean.

They initially tried a commercially available ‘drop-in’ replacement. It seemed like the easiest option, but problems surfaced quickly. Machining residues weren’t fully removed, drying times increased and validation testing showed inconsistent results.

At that point, they brought in our critical cleaning lab to take a closer look.

Instead of recommending another off-the-shelf option, the lab started from scratch. They analyzed the mix of cutting fluids and particulates, evaluated material compatibility and reviewed process conditions.

Instead of starting with a product, the process begins with the application: what needs to be removed, how it interacts with the material and how ‘clean enough’ will be defined and verified.

From there, they developed a tailored formulation with adjusted solvency strength and a controlled evaporation profile. The chemistry was designed not just to dissolve residues, but to do so consistently across complex geometries without leaving anything behind.

After several rounds of testing and refinement, the results were clear:

• Residue levels met NVR validation requirements.

• Drying times improved compared to the initial replacement.

• Material compatibility concerns were resolved.

• The new formulation met current environmental regulations.

Just as important, the process became far more predictable. What started as a compliance issue ended up improving both performance and efficiency, largely because the chemistry was designed for that specific application.

Why Customer-Centric Chemistry Matters

This approach is becoming more common across industries.

In electronics manufacturing, even small amounts of ionic or organic residue can lead to long-term failures like electrochemical migration. These issues don’t always appear immediately, which makes them difficult to diagnose. Cleaning fluids need to address that risk, not just immediate cleanliness.

In medical device manufacturing, ‘clean’ goes far beyond what you can see. Bioburden, extractables and trace residues all come into play, and processes must be validated and repeatable. That level of control is difficult to achieve with a one-size-fits-all product.

Even in newer applications like data infrastructure and AI hardware, cleanliness requirements are tightening. Optical components and fiber connections demand extremely uniform, residue-free surfaces. At that scale, consistency matters as much as cleaning strength.

Balancing Performance with Sustainability

Manufacturers are also under increasing pressure to adopt more sustainable chemistries. Regulations around ozone depletion, global warming potential and PFAS are limiting what can be used.

This is where tailored formulations make a difference. Instead of forcing a ‘greener’ product into an existing process, manufacturers can build solutions that meet both environmental and performance requirements from the start.

The Value of Collaboration

What makes this work is collaboration. Manufacturers understand their processes, constraints, and pain points, while chemists bring formulation expertise, analytical tools and the ability to test and refine solutions.

When those perspectives come together early, the outcome is usually better, not just in cleaning performance, but in process stability and long-term reliability.

Making Cleaning Work in Your Favor

When cleaning is treated as part of the overall process and supported by chemistry designed for that process, it stops being just another step. It becomes a way to improve efficiency, reduce risk and support product performance.

Cycle times can improve. Fluid life can be extended. Rework can be reduced. And in regulated industries, having a validated, well-understood process makes compliance easier to manage.

As manufacturing continues to evolve, this will only become more important. Companies that treat cleaning as a strategic function and invest in the right chemistry to support it will be better positioned to keep up with what’s next.