If you're involved in the automotive, petroleum, food, beverage, manufacturing, or pharmaceutical industry, you are held to high product safety standards. This is because when contaminants get into your products, it can result in major health hazards and cost you millions of dollars in recalls, lawsuits, and lost business.
The best way to ensure product safety and compliance is with high quality filtration systems. Filtration systems help block dust, bacteria, debris, and other contaminants from getting into your products during the manufacturing and distribution processes. This is key in quality control and ensuring compliance with your industry standards.
However, filtration systems aren't a one-size-fits-all sort of thing. Instead, there are many different systems for many different filtration purposes. The key is to choose the system that's right for you and that accomplishes the goals of lowering maintenance costs, improving safety, reducing harmful waste, and ensuring compliance.
What is Industrial Filtration and How is It Used in Production Processes?
Industrial filtration is the use of filters, strainers, and other devices to remove impurities and contaminants during the production of goods. Many industries rely on industrial filtration, including:
- Pharmaceutical
- Automotive
- Food and Beverage
- Electronics
- Chemical Processing
- Machining Fluids
- Solvents, Resins, and Dyes
- Many others
Essentially, any industry that produces anything with safety standards and that uses water during production will use filtration systems. Without filtration, impurities can contaminate whatever you're producing. This can lead to safety hazards, health issues, and many other issues that can hurt your business and your customers.
How do Industrial Filtration Systems Ensure Product Safety?
Industrial filtration systems ensure product safety because they are specifically designed to protect whatever you're producing. In other words, filters are designed for specific needs and purposes. The food and beverage industry has different risks and needs than the pharmaceutical industry, which means these industries will use different filters.
Regardless of what industry you're involved in and what filter you use, the overarching goal of industrial water filtration is to keep contaminants out of your products. They do this by using bag filters, strainers, cartridge filters, and more.
Different Types of Filtration Systems Used Today
Here's a quick look at the different types of filters used in industrial filtration:
Cartridge Filters
Cartridge filters are one of the most commonly used types of filters. They are tall and round and are installed inside cylinders that contain production materials. Cartridge filters remove solid contaminants, such as dirt, dander, pollen, hair, and other impurities.
Bag Filters
Similar to cartridge filters, bag filters are used in a wide range of industries. They also operate similar to cartridge filters in that liquids pass through the suspended bag filter. The liquid is able to pass through, but any contaminants will get caught in the filter and be removed from production.
Liquid Filters
Any industry that uses water during the production process needs high-quality liquid filters. This includes the beverage industry, cosmetics, medicine, food, and more. Common liquid filters include reverse osmosis systems and UV light systems.
Strainers
In addition to fine filters, it's also important to utilize strainers to capture larger pollutants and sediment loads. Here are a few of the most common industrial strainers used to ensure compliance and product safety:
- Simplex strainers
- Multiplex strainers
- Y-Strainers
- Fabricated strainers
- Self-Cleaning strainers
You can also implement custom specialty strainers, depending on your needs.
How Do Industrial Filtration Systems Ensure Compliance?
In addition to ensuring product safety, filtration systems also help you achieve compliance during the production process. This is becoming increasingly important as the EPA and other government organizations are becoming more and more rigid with their regulatory standards.
Industrial filtration strainers also help achieve compliance by removing larger chunks of sediment and pollutants, which makes life easier for your finer filters while improving flow control. Additionally, they remove contaminants and pollutants from wastewater to ensure they don't contaminate the local water supply.
Lastly, high-quality industrial filtration systems will help you remain energy-compliant by reducing your carbon footprint. If your filters are doing their job, your machinery will have an easier time doing its job, which reduces energy usage.
How Poor Filtration Can Lead to Non-Compliance and Product Contamination
In the same way that good filtration improves product quality and safety, poor filtration does just the opposite and can lead to:
Fines
Typically, any type of compliance issue will be met with fines. The more severe the issue is, the higher the fine will be. In 2018, for example, non-compliant companies faced nearly $4 billion in fines in the United States.
Shutdowns
If your violation is severe enough, you will likely face a complete shutdown. During this time, you won't be able to produce any goods and will have to make serious repairs and adjustments to the production process. You won't be allowed to resume production until you meet compliance standards.
Product Recalls
One of the more embarrassing, dangerous, and severe consequences you can face is a product recall. Product recalls happen when your product becomes contaminated with something dangerous enough to be a serious health hazard.
In addition to costing you big bucks, product recalls also put the health of the public at risk if they aren't made in time. You'll also suffer from reduced consumer confidence and have a reputation for less-than-good manufacturing practices.
Choosing the Right Filtration Systems For Your Needs
The goal in choosing a filtration system is in choosing the one that will help you remain compliant while increasing product safety. Because many industries have different standards and filtration needs, there isn't any single system that's perfect for everyone.
If you aren't sure which filtration systems is right for your needs, the pros at Industrial Filtration Supply can help you choose the right one. No matter what industry you're involved in or what your needs are, they have the filtration system you need.
The Importance of Maintaining Your Filtration System
Once you have your filtration system, it's important to properly maintain and protect it. Otherwise, the filter will become overloaded and be unable to do its job. Additionally, your machinery will have to work harder than it otherwise would with a clean filter, resulting in high utility bills and damaged machinery.
In most cases, maintaining your filtration system means regularly inspecting and cleaning it. However, depending on the type of system you have, you may also need to replace the filter media from time to time. As long as you keep up with this light maintenance, your industrial filtration system will ensure compliance, reduce energy usage, and improve product quality and safety.