Vacuum Degreasers and Aqueous Solutions
Published

Industry Trends Hold Opportunities

The panel addressed opportunities in technology, in new markets as well as opportunities associated with manufacturing challenges.

Share

Manufacturers face the day to day hurdle of simply staying in business. Staying cost-competitive, managing labor costs, keeping up with customer requirements, meeting performance standards, and certifications, and coping with a number of confusing, conflicting, worker safety and environmental regulations can be overwhelming. Some may look at the future as dark with little or no hope beyond treading water. They may see new technologies as threats.

But there is no need to feel this way. According to findings from a recent panel discussion, new and exciting opportunities are on the horizon. The panel addressed opportunities in technology, in new markets as well as opportunities associated with manufacturing challenges. Panelists included members of the Surface Finishers Educational Association (SFEA), such as Barbara Kanegsberg at BFK Solutions. This column summarizes the highlights from the panel’s discussion. 

New Markets, New Technologies. Looking outside the box and keeping an open mind to new opportunities has proven fruitful for manufacturers that have done so. One manufacturer originally based its product line on a single consumer application. As the market for that application began to diminish, the company started looking into other industries that could use similar technology. It discovered that the potential market was large, including military, health care, and even art.

With additive manufacturing becoming a popular trend, many industry professionals wonder if the process will replace traditional fabrication and surface treatments. The panel concluded that it probably will not. The concept of additive manufacturing is not new and encompasses well-established techniques such as electroforming and thermal spray. We may instead see expanding markets for these other approaches. Also, the fantasy surrounding 3D printing is that the process starts with metal powder and magically prints a complete product ready for shipment to the customer. The consensus is that additive manufacturing is an additional manufacturing technique and not necessarily a replacement since 3D printing produces a different result. 

Water Treatment. Water is an important factor of surface finishing, and all water is not the same. Years ago, there was tap water or distilled water. Now there is soft water, reverse osmosis, deionization, and electrodeionization. Currently, there is a focus on the importance of selecting and managing the correct water for the application.

Water is a valuable, limited resource. In addition, the costs of treating and managing water before, during and after manufacturing may influence process choices and may make recycling, or even total elimination of water discharge to the sewer, a more reasonable option. 

Regulation Frustration. There was a strong sentiment that safety/environmental regulations and controls, while necessary, have gone too far. There are diminishing returns that make it difficult to compete with other countries. 

Several panelists observed an increasing trend toward disjointed environmental regulations in the sense that federal, state and local regulations do not mesh well and that complying with air regulations may make it difficult to comply with water regulations and vice versa. One comment was that it is easier to comply with unreasonable regulations than to try to change them. In order to change regulations, you need a massive amount of grassroots upswell and enough political clout—a Herculean task. 

Energy and Opportunity. One panelist saw opportunities in managing the “tons of energy waste and water waste.” One prediction is that we will do much better in managing energy. This will help to reduce the carbon footprint. This could help us compete with other countries. While the United States may not compete with labor costs, we can with energy.

A Place for the Classics. Participants observed that despite decades of effort to replace certain processes that are under safety/environmental regulatory pressure, the military and aerospace sectors continue to require certain processes, such as cyanide cadmium, hard chrome plating and some chromating. Some panelists said for certain critical applications, there will always be those processes, unless there are superior alternatives.  

 

Echoflex modular ultrasonic cleaning machines
high-performance systems for efficient parts cleaning
Cleaning Technologies Group
Pickelx one step metal prep
vacuum vapor degreasers
Cleaning questions ask Kyzen
Precision Cleaning Solvents
SPC Innovations, In-machine gaging and attachments
World Machine Tool Survey
Star swiss-type automatic lathes
Efficient, Durability, Advanced CBN Abrasives
Kyocera

Related Content

Automotive

Complete Cleaning/Drying of EV Battery Trays

This parts washer specifically developed to clean and dry EV battery trays has a processing time of less than 100 seconds per part and processes two battery trays per cycle.

Read More
Basics

Corrosion Prevention: How to Avoid the Enemy of Metal Parts

This chemical reaction that is a constant, indiscriminate and costly enemy of metal parts is preventable, but intentional measures must be taken and become an essential process within a company’s walls.

Read More
Basics

3 Common Filtration Questions Answered

Learn about the variety of filters for removing particulates from a cleaning fluid, how to determine cleaning fluid life and more.

Read More
Parts Cleaning

Parts Cleaning Sector Shifts Energy Toward Regulatory Changes

With changes in EPA regulations regarding the use of some popular cleaning fluids, cleaning suppliers and end users are readjusting business strategies and/or cleaning processes to meet new requirements.

Read More

Read Next

Fielding Manufacturers’ FAQs about CMMC

Here are answers to frequently asked questions we as a provider of testing, consulting, information and compliance services receive about Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification.

Read More
Automation

Predicting the ROI of Robotic Automation

Various methodologies paired with online tools can help small to mid-sized manufacturers determine how to predict and calculate the potential economic benefits of robotic equipment for their specific needs.

Read More
Tooling

The Value of Swiss-Types Milling Rectangular Medical Parts

High-speed spindle technology was key to effective milling of small cardiac monitoring components complete on a CNC sliding-headstock machine platform instead of running them across two mills.

Read More
Vacuum Degreasers and Aqueous Solutions