Throughout the manufacturing supply chain, there are various points at which filtration is invaluable. Filtration not only improves equipment lifespan and boosts process efficiency, but also helps companies comply with environmental regulations and gain an advantage over competitors. No matter where you are in the Australian manufacturing industry, it’s important to understand the significant benefits of effective filtration systems.
In this article, we’ll explore the ways in which filtration systems improve the quality and efficiency of all manufacturing operations. As leading filter material suppliers, we’ll also give you some tips on how our products can improve your business.
Ensuring Product Quality and Consistency
There are quality, health and environmental regulations throughout the manufacturing supply chain, and many of these are designed to ensure products are safe to eat. Consumer expectations demand consistency and high quality. Filtration is crucial to the consistency and quality of all manufactured goods.
For example, in the food processing industry, filtration systems ensure the purity of water, oils and other ingredients. You’ll also find air filtration systems like exhausters and blowers used commonly in manufacturing environments. Essentially, their role is to clear contaminants from the air, ensuring goods aren’t compromised by contaminated air.
Protecting Equipment and Extending Lifespan
Whenever machinery is involved, lubrication is vital. Lubrication, such as oil and hydraulic fluids, helps to reduce friction on machine components, avoiding unnecessary wear and tear. However, if lubricants are contaminated, they can do more harm than good. For example, in a metal manufacturing environment, tiny metal particles can get into lubricants and damage machinery.
Interfil offers a range of oil and coolant filtration systems designed to remove impurities from lubricants. Not only does filtration ensure safe machinery operation and extended equipment lifespan, but also allows lubricant to be reused and recycled, saving organisations money.
Enhancing Process Efficiency
If there’s one thing that slows down production, it’s machinery downtime. Damage to equipment needs to be repaired, creating a decrease in productivity that ripples through the entire operation. Filtration media ensures that only contaminant-free lubricants are used on machinery, preventing the need for premature or avoidable repairs. Keeping your machines operational for longer significantly improves process efficiency.
Plus, using clean coolants, oils and other lubricants ensures that machines operate smoothly at all times. Most manufacturing environments require all systems to be working at peak performance together, because one weak link can cause issues through the whole chain.
Environmental Compliance and Sustainability
Compliance with environmental regulations is no longer optional for the manufacturing industry. Industrial processes are governed by strict environmental legislation and the penalties for breaches are significant. Filtration systems can reduce your carbon footprint and environmental impact in numerous ways.
From air filtration media that removes airborne contaminants to wastewater filtration systems allowing the safe and efficient disposal of waste, filtration is one of the environment’s best friends. By removing contaminants from wastewater, oil and coolant, manufacturing businesses can also realise significant cost savings through recycling and lower waste disposal costs.
Waste Reduction and Resource Savings
Manufacturing companies can’t afford to waste valuable resources in today’s competitive marketplace. We’ve already touched on the fact that filtration allows for more recycling of materials such as coolant and other lubricants. Wastewater filtration systems perform a similar role.
A typical sludge dewatering system separates all solid material from water and dries the waste into a ‘cake’. Disposing of the dried cake is far cheaper than removing large volumes of water-based sludge. The added benefit is the remaining water can be reused for certain purposes. By combining a complete water purification system, you could effectively reuse the water for anything.
Applications in Different Manufacturing Sectors
You’ll find filtration systems being used throughout the manufacturing industry, from food processing to metalwork. Here are some of the popular uses for filtration and filter media in manufacturing.
Food and Beverage Manufacturing
side from coolant filtration for machinery operations, the food processing industry relies heavily on filtration to ensure product quality. Most importantly, filtration ensures the raw materials used in food processing are clean and contaminant-free. These filtration solutions improve product quality and consistency while enhancing compliance with food safety laws.
Metalworking and Machining
In the metalworking industry, you’ll find filtration systems used at various stages. Whether it’s oil skimmers, centrifuges or wastewater filtration, there are multiple uses for filtration. Purifying coolant and other lubricants ensures no harmful metal contaminants damage machinery. Wastewater filtration can allow for the reuse of water and more cost-effective waste disposal. Specialist air filtration media keeps the air clean in manufacturing environments to protect worker health. Everywhere you look in metalworking, filtration is essential.
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Needless to say, the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry must maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and purity. Not only are filtration systems essential for purifying raw materials used in pharmaceutical manufacturing, but they also improve air quality. Where any chemicals are used in manufacturing, it’s essential to have air filtration systems in place that remove contaminants and protect workers.
Contact Your Trusted Filter Material Suppliers
Interfil is one of Australia’s leading filter material suppliers. We offer a wide range of filtration media for all different applications. Plus, we even cut your filter media rolls to size. From maintaining healthy air quality to decontaminating lubricants for reuse, we have filter media to suit every need. As your filtration experts, Interfil offers the best advice and professional systems to enhance your operations. Contact our team to discuss tailored filtration systems today.
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