PECM Issue 19 2016 | Page 18

Key Trends Hitting Manufacturing, Processing And Maintenance Businesses in all sectors, from food processing, manufacturing, construction and automotive are under pressure to be cleaner, to be quicker and to produce less waste, all while improving the return on investment. Here, Peter Crossen, VP of the Maintenance and Partsmaster Innovation Platform of water, energy and maintenance solutions provider, NCH Europe, looks at the top five industrial trends we can expect in the year ahead. 1. Demand for environmentally 2. Fast repairs will be made friendly products will increase in-situ to minimise downtime costs Our homes and cities are getting smarter, 3. Food-safe chemicals will improve safety and reduce contamination in food processing our transport is moving to cleaner hybrid One of the biggest challenges in industrial electric propulsion and plant managers process environments is keeping a plant Industrial supply chains are getting bigger are becoming increasingly conscious of up and running. Smart monitoring, control and expanding into further reaches of what goes into the makeup of chemicals systems and the Internet of Everything the globe. To keep the process safe, it will and products used to maintain and service (IoE) is certainly transforming the way become even more necessary to ensure industrial machinery and equipment. we manage plants, but even these that food processing and packaging, as systems have limitations. Breakdowns still well as the cleaning and maintenance of inevitably happen and repairs are essential. industrial machinery and parts, is done For years acidic solvents have been used to clean, remove rust and degrease industrial without chemical contamination to the machinery. This means that engineers This is why products that can be used have to wear personal protective to address issues quickly, easily and can equipment (PPE) to prevent burns to skin withstand high temperatures will continue Manufacturers, retailers and consumers and hands when handling chemicals, to innovate in the industrial maintenance will increasingly demand the use of as well as taking precautions with sector. Pastes, putties, bandages and wraps food-safe chemicals to clean industrial breathing equipment because solvents that use polymer technology, similar to equipment used in all stages of processing are flammable and contain volatile that found in aerospace products, will be as part of the wider push on regulatory organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause the go-to extreme temperature repair compliance. Technologies including respiratory problems. Not to mention solution to burst pipes and in-situ leaks. high-pressure parts cleaning machines the environmental impact when these These solutions will ultimately reduce that eliminate the use of solvents, or chemicals make their way through waste downtime costs and keep plants running. food-grade lubricants and degreasers used processes into rivers and streams. As plant engineers become increasingly end product. in process lines will improve safety and reduce contamination. aware of the human and environmental Certification bodies such as NSF damage that highly acidic and alkaline International, the public health and safety chemicals can cause, we will see the rise organisation, will increasingly provide of demand for water-based pH neutral testing, training and certification to ensure derusters, degreasers, emulsifiers and that no non-food compounds enter into surfactants that make products safe to use human consumption. without gloves, are easier to apply, and are less damaging to dispose of.