1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detergent composition for precision parts or jigs, and more specifically to a detergent composition exhibiting excellent ability to remove smears which have adhered to surfaces of precision parts or jigs, excellent rinsability, and high safety.
2. Description of the Background Art
Smears, comprising mainly organic substances such as fats and/or oils, machine oils, cutting oils, greases, liquid crystals and/or rosin fluxes, adhered to surfaces of precision parts or jigs used in assembling or processing have conventionally been removed with chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene; from solvents such as trichlorotrifluoroethane; water-based alkaline detergents having a surfactant and/or a builder incorporated into sodium orthosilicate or caustic soda, etc. However, chlorinated solvents and flon solvents introduce major problems Concerning their safety, toxicity, potential for environmental pollution, etc. On the other hand, when used to wash plastic or precision parts, the water-based alkaline detergents adversely affect such parts if they remain on the corresponding surfaces.
In recent years, glycol ethers (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Nos. 97792/1991 and 227400/1991), non-terpenic hydrocarbons (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 243699/1591), etc. have been proposed as such detergents. However, the glycol ethers do not effectively clean oil and fat smears, while the non-terpenic hydrocarbons exhibit poor rinsability.
There has hence been demand for development of a detergent composition which exhibits excellent ability to remove smears adhered on surfaces of precision parts or jigs, excellent rinsability, high safety and which is free of any fear of environmental pollution.