Maintaining momentum in uncertain times
August 12th 2011

The UK manufacturing industry is recovering from the economic downturn but progress has been slow. To maximise efficiency in uncertain times, engineering companies must take a holistic view of their systems and uncover new ways to optimise them, says Adrian Foster, UK Marketing Manager for Parker Hannifin.

The Office for National Statistics has reported that the year-on-year figures for April 2011 show a growth rate of 1.3% for UK manufacturing industries, a positive but modest increase, which serves to underline the fact that the UK’s economic recovery is a slow one.

Certainly, the figure must be balanced against other findings, such as those of the Engineering Employers Federation, who have suggested that continuing volatility in financial markets and low levels of investment in UK engineering are likely to restrict the rate of recovery for the sector.

If those are the external factors that are challenging UK engineering, what can the industry do to help itself? The answer to that question is not simple, though clearly the pressure on manufacturing, engineering and process companies to hold down prices at the factory gate while maintaining realistic profit margins is great and the ability to achieve that goal is the key to success.

One way in which to preserve, and even expand, those margins is to control running costs and a highly effective way to do this is to extend the operating life of existing plant and equipment without increasing servicing budgets. This is best achieved by taking a holistic approach, which means not only upgrading the existing system with the latest component technology but stepping back to evaluate its performance and developing, or redesigning, the system to save energy and add value. With the assistance of a key supplier who can deliver single-source solutions, specialised maintenance and expertise, manufacturers can successfully optimise their systems and swiftly reap the benefits.

Modern electromechanical, instrumentation, filtration, condition monitoring and fluid power components can play a major role in maximising the performance of production systems in even the most demanding of applications, and are constantly being enhanced and improved. For example, the latest generation of motion and control technologies offer a degree of reliability and quality that can make significant improvements to profitability, extending equipment operating life and cutting maintenance costs. The latest components are easy to use and install, thus improving efficiency still further by reducing the need for tools and ancillary equipment, both of which can be costly, and enabling training periods to be more focused on health and safety than on additional installation and operational issues.

The potential benefits of investing in equipment that can maximise efficiency are illustrated by the latest generation of filtration products.

The improved design of filters has created more dynamic flow paths that have reduced both pressure losses and energy consumption; by altering the material, pleating method and finish used in the manufacturing of filters, designers have enhanced their ability to capture contaminants while increasing the flow of liquid through the filter. Meanwhile, air motors such as Parker’s P1V-S series represent a new, efficient option in power components, providing a long operating life, optimum levels of performance and a high resistance to vibration and impact.

The monitoring of oil condition and the early identification of contamination can also increase efficiency significantly. For example, the latest addition to Parker’s series of diagnostic devices for use in fluid power applications, Service Master Plus, offers fast and accurate measuring and analysis of pressure, flow, temperature and rotational speed to identify anomalies before they cause significant damage.

As the ability of key suppliers to develop efficient systems and enhanced components offers ever greater protection to profit margins, the steady growth in retail style outlets for pneumatic and hydraulic parts introduces another opportunity to attain a crucial competitive edge. The potential offered by such endeavours as Parker’s network of ParkerStore outlets has offered easy access to specialist knowledge, technical support and an extensive choice of products that reduces the need for manufacturers to keep spares onsite. In addition, the availability of those spares not only offers convenience but also enables manufacturers to avoid the potentially wasteful stocking of items that could soon be superseded.

Engineering manufacturers need not wait for the economic recovery to restore profitability when, with the assistance of specialised suppliers, they can develop more efficient systems and embrace new component technology to widen profit margins on their own.