MFN spoke with Hartmut Herdin, Managing Director of event promoters fairXperts GmbH, about parts2clean, the world’s leading trade fair for cleaning within the production process, and the significance of cleaning technology in manufacturing.

(?) MFN: After being held only 5 times, parts2clean is already considered the world’s leading trade for cleaning within the production process. How was it possible to achieve this status after such a short period of time?

(!) H. H.: The issue of parts cleaning used to be a sideline at various trade fairs, which made it impossible for users to gain a comprehensive overview of the various technologies and suppliers. With parts2clean, we’ve created an international information and procurement platform which offers a concentrated overview of all processes and suppliers, and thus provides targeted information regarding the best possible solutions for various cleaning tasks within the manufacturing process.

(?) MFN: What is the significance of cleaning within the production process today?

(!) H. H.: In recent years, cleaning has evolved into an important step within the manufacturing sequence which greatly influences the value creation process, because considerably higher demands are now placed upon parts cleanliness. As a result, residual contamination on components leads more and more frequently to costly rejects, or even to impaired functioning of the finished product. This is usually very expensive, and is often associated with serious image losses for the manufacturer. On the other hand, requirements-oriented use of modern cleaning technologies usually makes it possible to manage production more efficiently, which in turn leads to cost savings. Targeted cleaning of functional surfaces provides us with a suitable example. All in all, cleaning technology can be seen as a growth market.

(?) MFN:  Who exhibits at parts2clean?

(!) H. H.: Nearly all of the leading suppliers from the various sectors associated with industrial cleaning within the product process participate at parts2clean.

(?) MFN:  How large a spectrum does parts2clean cover?

(!) H. H.:  Offerings cover the entire process sequence for industrial parts cleaning. They range from conventional wet chemical cleaning and processes such as blasting, barrel finishing, CO2 and plasma cleaning, right on up to pre-treatment, use and disposal of cleaning agents, parts baskets and workpiece carriers, handling and process automation, as well as cleanroom technology, job-shop cleaning, quality assurance, test methods and analysis procedures. The event demonstrates the state-of-the-art, and portrays future trends as well.
 
(?) MFN:  For which industries are these offerings interesting?

(!) H. H.:  Users from all industries which are required to comply with strict cleanliness requirements gather information at parts2clean. These include, for example, the automotive, electronics, semiconductor and food industries, machinery and equipment manufacturing, aviation and aerospace, hydraulics and pneumatics, optics, precision mechanics and precision engineering, as well as turning shops, foundries and hardening plants. And companies from the fields of plastics processing, metalworking and other areas also discover cleaning solutions which are ideally matched to their requirements.

(?) MFN:  Lots of companies know that cleaning within the production process is becoming more and more important, but appropriate information is nevertheless often lacking. Does parts2clean also provide basic information regarding this subject matter?

(!) H. H.:  The expert forum at parts2clean makes it possible for users to gather information concerning basic and specialised knowledge in the field of cleaning, and regarding special topics which are addressed by experts at suitable presentations. In addition to this, we have a special show which demonstrates the process sequence for cleaning within the production process, and offers information regarding the optimisation of cleaning processes.

(?) MFN: Special issues are frequently showcased at technical trade fairs. Does parts2clean include special presentations of this sort?

(!) H. H.: Yes, this year we’ll feature a theme park which points out the process engineering opportunities and ranges of applications offered by blasting technology. A second, application-specific theme park will present technologies and solutions for cleaning in sensitive surroundings, for example in the field of medical technology.

(?) MFN: The event will be supplemented by COROSAVE for the first time this year. How did this come about?

(!) H. H.: COROSAVE is an integrated technical exhibition which focuses on temporary corrosion protection, preservation and packaging. It addresses measures which assure that already cleaned parts arrive at the customer’s facility clean and corrosion-free. The topic fits right in with parts2clean.

(?) MFN:  What does the future hold for parts2clean?

(!) H. H.:  Due to the fact that cleanliness requirements for production will continue to increase in nearly all industry sectors, I have a very optimistic outlook. Growth potential for parts2clean can be exploited by means of more internationalism amongst exhibitors and visitors alike.

MFN would like to thank Hartmut Herding  for this interview.