TPT July 2021

AR T I C L E

Quaker Houghton

scale scrappage, quality failures and significant rework. All of this results in unnecessary cost and lost profitability. In our expe ience, qu lity defects inked to process fluids can be reduced by up to 50 per cent with proactive fluid management. The key learning here is that in all industrial applications, maintaining fluids within specification is vital if consistent manufacturing performance is to be achieved. So what steps can manufacturers take to maximise the value of good fluid management? A holistic approach The simple steps are those already mentioned – use of high- performance products and regular inspection. But in reality, far more can be done by taking a holistic and intelligent approach to fluid management with the potential for significant gains to be made – more efficiency, productivity and quality, for less overall cost. Here, there’s no doubt that improved management and access to data would be a significant step forward. This is at the heart of Quaker Houghton’s Fluid Intelligence approach through the use of the new QH FLUIDTREND™ 4.0 platform. Fluid Intelligence is in essence an Industry 4.0 (or IIOT) solution/platform designed to bring superior value to our customers. We do this by leveraging data and providing actionable insights that enable businesses to use their fluids more effectively, enhance production processes and enable metal processing machinery to operate at peak performance. Backed by state-of-the-art laboratories and the knowledge base of an experienced team of Quaker Houghton technical and applications specialists, the Fluid Intelligence platform comprisesarangeofproducts,equipment,andonsitemonitoring services and support. This includes QH FLUIDCARE™, QH FLUIDSUPPORT™ and QH FLUIDTREND™. The platform will enable our customers to leverage big data and analytics to become more productive and efficient. QH FLUIDTREND™, is a digital software platform developed by Quaker Houghton. This intuitive and user-friendly data hub provides businesses real time visibility of their fluid performance, allowing them to improve efficiency and productivity as well as take pro-active and corrective actions when necessary, avoiding costly delays and downtime. The platform allows machine reports and trends to be generated quickly and easily. Importantly, it has the potential to connect equipment to a wide range of automated services including dosing, top-up and concentration control, so that peak performance and productivity can be maintained without even having to visit and inspect the equipment manually. The benefits in terms of labour and efficiency are therefore quite significant. A two-way data hub Based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, QH FLUIDTREND™ is a two-way data hub, which gathers

Shandong Province Sifang Technical Development Group

real-time information from equipment and can also relay instructions back. This relies on a suite of sensors, which can be used to measure a wide range of factors, including motor speed, load cell pressure, vibration, concentration, temperature, pH and conductivity of the fluid. These sensors can be placed in an equally wide range of equipment, such as gears, hydraulics and load tanks for a comprehensive solution. In addition to these sensors, Quaker Houghton has developed a dedicated suite of equipment which can be easily linked to QH FLUIDTREND™. These include three bespoke, stand- alone units designed to transform manufacturing processes. QH FLUIDMIX™ automatically mixes and distributes water soluble fluids with accurate and consistent concentrations to any machine throughout an entire production hall or machine shop, either on demand or via a trigger-nozzle. Based on UV technology to minimise bacteria present in process fluids, QH FLUIDWORKER™ ensures high productivity while extending fluid life and minimising employee exposure to dangerous chemicals and biocides. Finally, QH FLUIDCONTROL™ measures, monitors and analyses water-soluble fluids against pre-determined parameters for full visibility at all times. As previously mentioned, QH FLUIDTREND™ delivers a number of benefits, not least ease and peace of mind. It’s worth looking at these in more detail.

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JULY 2021