Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
In our interview series in each newsletter, we introduce you to a member of the Fraunhofer Cleaning Division in more detail. This time Dr. Enrico Fuchs from the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV answered our questions. Read more about his career and his personal perspective on the goals, potential and wishes for the Fraunhofer-Business Area Cleaning.
1. How did you join Fraunhofer-Business Area Cleaning?
I have been working in the field of cleaning technologies since my diploma thesis, in which I developed a cleaning-in-place system for wet chemical processes. Afterwards, I also did research in the field of cleaning in the pharmaceutical industry. Subsequently, I was able to continue my research in this area - with a focus on food and pharmaceutical products - as part of my doctoral position at the Technische Universität Dresden. Even then, I was able to work on projects together with colleagues from the Fraunhofer IVV in Dresden. There was always close cooperation between the Technische Universität Dresden, chair of processing machines and processing technology, and the Fraunhofer IVV in Dresden, also through the joint use of technical equipment. After completing my PhD, I wanted to continue my research in this field and joined the Fraunhofer IVV in 2019 as a team leader in the area of component cleaning and was subsequently allowed to take over the group of cleaning technologies.
2. What goal have you set yourself for your work at Fraunhofer-Business Area Cleaning?
Together with the Business Area Cleaning at Fraunhofer, I would like to transfer new scientific findings into products for our customers and support training in the field of cleaning technologies. This also includes increasing visibility of the Cleaning Business Area as the first point of contact for all questions relating to industrial cleaning processes.
3. What would you like to pass on to the customers of Fraunhofer-Business Area Cleaning?
As a result of the high diversity of products, processes, and cleanliness requirements, it is necessary to adapt the technologies and parameters used specifically to the particular area of application. The Cleaning Business Area at Fraunhofer bundles these competencies and enables the optimal solution for its customers through its expertise.
4. What does the Fraunhofer IVV offer in cleaning technology?
The Fraunhofer IVV is involved in the development of holistic solutions for safe, demand-oriented and automated cleaning processes. Among other things, we develop requirement-specific sensors for our business partners to detect contaminants and monitor cleaning fluids. In our test and development center, our customers have the opportunity to train, test and optimize a wide range of technologies from wet chemical cleaning processes to dry cleaning processes. In addition, we combine these technologies with solutions from the area of digitalization and assistance systems.
5. What makes you a competent partner in cleaning technology?
I enjoy planning, preparing and testing new ideas in the field of cleaning. In doing so, I can draw on several years of experience in the development and optimization of cleaning processes and the application of various sensor systems for monitoring the cleaning process. Knowledge from processing machine engineering, digitalization and simulation of flows enable me to take a comprehensive view of cleaning processes and thus a holistic approach.
6. What do you wish for the industry?
The cleaning industry is currently facing a variety of challenges: changes in mobility, resulting in new requirements for cleaning processes; disruption of supply chains as a result of the global Corona pandemic; collapsing markets and additional supply problems due to the war in Ukraine. Therefore, my wish for the industry is that we find new ideas and solutions to overcome these challenges, take advantage of opportunities as they arise, and emerge with renewed strength overall. In addition, I believe it is important that cleaning is seen as a value-adding production step overall and is already fully taken into account during production planning.
7. What is urgently needed so that the next big step can be taken in the field of cleaning technology?
In order to be able to master future requirements with regard to cleanliness, taking into account environmental protection requirements and resource conservation, I see the application of adaptive processes as particularly important. The combination with integrated sensor technology and intelligent evaluation enables cleaning adapted to the contamination state and customer-specific cleanliness requirements. This contributes to environmental protection and reduces costs. Fraunhofer Cleaning and in particular the Fraunhofer IVV offer expertise and solutions in this area to support customers in the implementation of adaptive cleaning processes.