Process engineering: Your questions, our answers.

In simple terms, process engineering covers all industrial processes in which raw materials such as gases, liquids or solids are converted into a finished product or intermediate product for further processing. Process engineering encompasses the planning, design, control, monitoring, and optimisation of production processes. 

A production process involves many steps - starting with the choice of the raw materials through the various processing stages through to the finishing of the final product. A simple example of process engineering is the production of bread. The process starts with the choice of the ingredients such as flour, water, yeast, and salt. These are then mixed, kneaded, shaped, and baked in defined quantities to produce the finished bread.

Particularly in more complex industrial applications in fields such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food production, automotive manufacturing and many others, process engineering is used to create efficient production processes and ensure that product quality meets the desired standards.

Measurement technology plays a decisive role in process engineering. It is used to collect and monitor relevant parameters of materials, products, or process equipment. The various aspects of measurement technology ensure that production is carried out efficiently and with optimum quality:

• Quality control and quality assurance: Precise measurements enable companies to ensure that their products meet the required quality standards and help to identify and discard faulty or inferior products.
• Process optimisation: Continuous measurements allow processes to be monitored and fine-tuned, if necessary, in order to increase efficiency, reduce resource consumption and cut production costs.
• Compliance with regulations: In many industries, there are legal requirements (limit values, documentation requirements, etc.) that must be observed. The logging of measured values provides important proof that all the demands are met.
• Documentation: Measurements as part of a detailed record of the production process ensure the traceability of products and the transparency of quality processes.
• Continuous improvement: By analysing measurement data, companies can evaluate the performance of their processes and implement improvements in order to optimise production and increase quality.
• Research and development: In process engineering, the measurement of parameters is often an integral part of research and development activities. It helps to develop new processes and optimise existing ones.
• Safety: In many industrial processes, limit values have to be observed for certain parameters, e. g. for temperature, pressure or chemical composition. Real-time measurements help deviations and potentially dangerous situations to be identified and corrective measures to be implemented in good time.

Many special sensors are used in process engineering. The choice of sensor depends on the type of process, the parameters to be measured and the ambient conditions. These are the most common sensors:

• Pressure sensors measure the pressure of gases or liquids in pipes or containers. 
• Temperature sensors detect the temperature of process equipment or a medium. 
• Level sensors are used to measure the level of liquids or powders in tanks or containers. 
• Flow meters monitor the amount of liquid, gas or vapour flowing through a pipe. 
• pH sensors play an important role in the control and regulation of processes in which the pH value of a solution is important, for example in food processing or in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. 
• Conductivity sensors measure the electrical conductivity of a solution and thus its composition. 
• Gas detectors (gas analysers) measure the concentration of certain gases in the air. 
• Thermal image sensors in thermal imaging cameras (IR cameras) detect thermal energy (infrared radiation) and convert it into electrical signals. The visualisation of thermal anomalies forms the basis for further metrological analyses.

Calibration is essential in the field of process engineering, as only calibrated measuring instruments and sensors provide reliable measurement data. Through regular calibration, companies can strengthen confidence in their measuring instruments and ensure that the measured values are consistent and reliable.

• Calibrated instruments are crucial for quality assurance and quality control. They guarantee consistent product quality.
• The measurement with calibrated instruments reflects the actual state of the process. Inaccurate measurements could lead to incorrect decisions.
• Many regulatory bodies require measuring instruments to be calibrated at regular intervals to ensure that the processes meet the prescribed standards.
• In safety-critical areas, the correct measurement of parameters such as temperature, pressure or gas composition is crucial for the safety of employees, systems, or products.
• Calibrated instruments minimise measurement errors and help to reduce reject rates and lower production costs.
• Through regular calibration, companies ensure the optimum function of their measuring instruments. This makes measurements more precise, leading to better control and optimisation of the production process.
• Calibration certificates document the calibration. They make it possible to trace and check the accuracy of measurements.

Calibration devices for process engineering should always provide reliable measurement results and fulfil the legal requirements with regard to measurement functions, limit values, documentation obligations, etc. The following quality criteria are relevant when selecting the right calibration device:

• Calibration devices must have a high degree of precision, i. e. provide measurement values with the smallest possible deviation from the actual values.
• A calibration device should be able to support calibration certificates in accordance with national and international standards.
• A calibration device should be easy and intuitive to use to enable efficient measurement applications and avoid measurement errors.
• Calibration devices should be sufficiently robust to provide reliable performance even in rough industrial environments.
• Suppliers of calibration equipment should provide reliable customer service and technical support to help with any questions or problems.
• The price as a selection criterion depends on the measurement requirements and internal company conditions.