Five Steps to Identify if Temperature is Negatively Impacting Your Process
Five Steps to Identify if Temperature is Negatively Impacting Your Process
The easiest way to identify if temperature is negatively impacting your fluid dispensing process can be summed up in three words “What went wrong?”
Chances are one of three things has happened:
- Quality: The product did not meet standards.
- Pricing: Costs increased due to rejects and rework.
- On-time delivery: Delivery expectations not met.
Best Course of Action: Process of Elimination
- Understand temperature requirements: Familiarize yourself with the recommended temperature range for the fluid being dispensed. Different fluids have different temperature sensitivities. Consult your material supplier for this.
- Monitor temperatures: Evaluate and measure the temperatures surrounding the material’s pathway from source to point-of-application. (source, pump, heat exchanger, temperature control unit, tubing, dispense valve and point of dispense typically). Each of these “segments” can become a conductor of temperature change, either too hot or too cold, forcing material temperature out of its optimal range. Think: ice cream in the freezer vs. ice cream in the sun on a hot day.Additionally, assess the: pump’s make, model, and horsepower, heat exchanger, circulation system, its recirculation rate and path, pressure settings, length, path, tubing, and insulation if any, dispense valves, point-of-application’s mechanism and surrounding environment, and the substrate’s temperature.
- Compare temperatures: compare all devices and surrounding environmental temperatures with the temperature range recommended by the material supplier. If any measures consistently fall outside of the recommended temperature range, your fluid dispensing process, and results are being negatively impacted by temperature.
- Assess flow characteristics: Pay attention to the flow characteristics of the fluid dispensing. Temperature changes can affect viscosity and density, which in turn can impact flow rate, consistency, and accuracy of the dispensed amount.
- Evaluate product quality, price, and delivery: Assess the quality of the dispensed product on the substrate. Temperature-related issues may result in defects, inconsistencies, or other observable problems. If you notice variations in product quality that coincide with temperature fluctuations, it suggests a negative impact. Which ultimately results in the loss of revenue for both company and client.Defects to look for are blisters, bubbles, craters, popping, pin holes, color shifts, dry and thin film build, dry spray, gloss issues, orange peel, poor adhesion, ripples, and run and sag.
Take Measures to Mitigate
By following these steps, you can identify whether temperature is negatively impacting your fluid dispensing process and take appropriate measures to mitigate the issue. If you are unsure about the specific impact of temperature on your fluid dispensing process, or if the negative impacts persist, consider consulting temperature and viscosity control experts.
It’s important to note that centralized temperature control systems designed to protect and control the material as it flows through the circulation system are widely used, and are a very important tool in the overall control of the process. However, controlling the delivery, or the point-of-application will make a good process perfect.
For that, a cost-effective control system that can eliminate variations introduced between a carefully controlled circulation system and applicator is required. Learn more about Saint Clair Systems temperature and viscosity control expertise and technology and schedule a free process evaluation.
Helpful Links & Resources
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