March 31 is International Data Backup Day, World Backup Day. About its role are all IT managers in the clear - actually. But backup is still a broad field and a real backup is not simply done at the push of a button. Complex infrastructures require a backup strategy that must also keep in mind that backups are an important target for attackers. This view is shared by experts from IT security service providers Barracuda Networks, Bitdefender, ForeNova, FTAPI and NCC.

World Backup Day: a good time to think about what an effective data backup strategy needs to do.

"Events like World Backup Day are good times to think about what an effective backup strategy needs to do. A lot has changed in the last few years! More and more data is hosted in the cloud, ransomware is one of the biggest threats to data today. Does on-premise backup provide everything businesses need: Reliability and value for money? Is Office 365 data protected in the cloud? Is resiliency considered and air-gap copies of the data backed up? Is a solution in place that meets DSGVO requirements? How often are DR and recovery workflows run through? It's a lot to consider, but that's what's imperative if companies want to ensure they don't have to pay for a cyberattack or complete data loss with a complete business shutdown."

Charles Smith, Consulting Solution Engineer, Data Protection, Barracuda Networks, EMEA

The convergence of cybersecurity and data protection is a top priority in times of the Ukraine conflict.

"The current conflict in Ukraine makes all IT a target of cyberattacks. Even immediately before the invasion, HermeticWiper was used to attack systems of Ukrainian government agencies and organizations with the aim of deleting data. Such attacks are also threatening in this country. They threaten not only information, but also systems and applications. Successful deletion of data and configurations of these systems or applications then becomes an ultimate threat to the functionality of digital processes - especially if IT managers cannot restore systems, applications and data quickly enough.

As a result, the long-preached protection of existing backups - the convergence of cybersecurity and data protection - is now becoming a top priority. An endpoint detection-and-response (EDR) solution can protect backup servers. Managed detection-and-response (MDR) services must reprioritize their security analysis criteria in light of the threats. Those who are reviewing their backup and disaster recovery plans now should also be looking at protecting those backups against malware. They should also look in advance at how quickly systems can be brought back up."

Jörg von der Heydt, Regional Director DACH, Bitdefender

Network Detection and Response also protects backups.

"Performing backups is a matter of course - at least in people's minds. Unfortunately, testing backups and seeing whether it is even possible to restore systems and information, and whether the data also has integrity, is not yet. But it should be. The 3-2-1 rule with an offline backup is also increasingly being taken to heart, and word is also spreading that backups also fall under the competencies of IT security.

But many CISOs and IT admins think primarily about protecting the endpoints, i.e. the backup server and the media. But that's not enough, because professional hackers specifically prepare the attack on the secured information and systems - the last reassurance many organizations rely on. A security event that occurs across the network perimeter and, for example, immediately encrypts, blocks or even deletes assets, and against which an endpoint detection and response or firewall does not protect, can only be immediately blocked by a network-level defense. Thanks to a network detection and response (NDR) that detects suspicious attack patterns, it is often not even necessary to restore digital resources.

An NDR pulls further ripcords in case of emergency: A predefined playbook of the software, for example, automatically initiates a VMWare snapshot as soon as a suspicious network incident is reported and secures the current system and information status before a possibly successful attack. Most importantly, NDR provided valuable assistance in analyzing an attack once it occurred, showing when and how an attack was launched."

Paul Smit, Director Customer Services, ForeNova

Don't be afraid of decentralized data backup - you just need trustworthy partners.

"Do backups of critical business or project data really always have to be on-premise in the company's own systems? Not in our view. With on-demand hosted solutions, automatic backups are standard. Many companies have already recognized the need for this, but there are still doubts about the security of decentralized solutions and data backups. Yet the need is becoming increasingly clear: the number of cyber attacks is rising, the attacks themselves are becoming more and more sophisticated - 100 percent security of the company's own systems and information is virtually no longer possible.

Decentrally stored backups make it possible to still access company data and systems in the event of a cyber attack or massive system failure. A trustworthy partner is important here, both when it comes to the solution and the data centers used. Data should only be encrypted and transmitted to servers within the EU. To safeguard daily project work, automatic backups of corresponding data in virtual data rooms are suitable."

Ari Albertini, Chief Operating Officer, FTAPI Software GmbH

The right backup strategy is important - because after the attack is before the attack.

"The importance of backup is demonstrated by ransomware attacks - the preferred 'earning method' of cyber criminals. When it comes to business-critical data or confidential customer information - the 'crown jewels' - the pressure to act increases immediately for companies and authorities.

When this emergency occurs, the victims have three options: they can decrypt the files, pay the ransom or recover the data. But suitable decryption tools are not always available and often not all information is available again after a ransom payment. In the worst case, further extortion stages follow with no guarantee of getting all files back. We also recommend not to respond to ransomware demands.

This leaves backups as the 'last line of defense'. To make matters worse, criminals also deliberately target them to cause as much damage as possible. Corporate and government IT managers should therefore not only follow the familiar backup rules (3-2-1), but also require additional authentication before access and create immutable backups - which they store offline, off-site or off the main network.

And because after the attack is before the attack, IT managers must understand how the hackers proceeded. After all, when a backup is reverted to, the infrastructure with the same vulnerability that was exploited during the attack comes into play. In addition to a logging mechanism, the should also implement services such as managed detection and response to detect possible further suspicious activity on their network."

Dr. Volker Baier, Principal Consultant Risk Management, NCC Group

The Austrian software company RUBICON is one of Europe's leading providers of IT solutions for the digitalization of central business processes in public administrations (eGovernment) as well as in the enterprise sector. With RUBICON IT Schweiz AG, the company has been based in the city of Bern since 2004, where it currently employs nine people. The development of tailor-made IT solutions takes place at the location in Vienna. RUBICON Switzerland draws on specialists from the parent company as needed.

Successful eGovernment implementations fuel demand

"Now that we have distinguished ourselves as a digitization partner for the administration, our experience and know-how are increasingly attracting interest from the private sector," says Christoph Unger. The 42-year-old was previously responsible for the market development and establishment of Acta Nova for the GEVER system in the Swiss market. "We support Swiss companies in expanding their digital ability to act from A to Z - from electronic requests to execution and delivery," says Unger.

As a digitization partner for administration and companies, RUBICON covers a wide range of needs. These include solutions in the area of document and workflow management based on Acta Nova. In addition, there is template and output management with Document Partner, but also high-availability server and application operation, expertise in the areas of databases and networks, as well as auditing and software security via SignPath.

Federal administration: 26,000 people use RUBICON solution

The company's long-standing customers include the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), the Zurich Transport Authority (VBZ), and a large number of cantons and cities as well as over 900 Swiss municipalities. Since August 2021, more than 26,000 employees of the Swiss federal administration have been using the RUBICON application Acta Nova nationwide. This runs on GEVER, the federal government's digital platform for business administration, and guarantees uniform and stable document and workflow management. Since then, the processes have been gradually optimized during ongoing operations. In addition, RUBICON is constantly developing the platform further.

Acta Nova allows the digitization and automation of business processes and offers interfaces to online forms so that data can be captured easily and quickly and transferred without media breaks. In addition, the software automatically encrypts confidential documents and offers central data storage. At the same time, Acta Nova accelerates, for example, the issuing of permits, the response time to inquiries, increases the traceability of all processes and, last but not least, increases the efficiency of the administration. Since digitization also eliminates transport routes and mountains of paper, the use of Acta Nova also leads to substantial savings.

Since then, the processes have been optimized step by step during ongoing operations. In addition, the platform is constantly being further developed. Important topics are inbound and outbound management as well as digital interaction with countless business partners.

Source and information: www.rubicon.eu

Ozone, particulate matter, CO2 are substances that pollute our air. Fortunately, pollution in the air we breathe can now be measured very precisely. The manufacturer Microsyst has expanded its range of applications for easy visualization of the specific emission values: luminous LED displays are coupled with the measuring sensors using Microsyst's MKS software.

The software of the emission displays adapts to the data protocol of the measuring sensors and thus communicates with any system without any problems and across manufacturers. The connection is made via existing industrial interfaces, wired or wireless. Seven-color spectrum, variable display and character height as well as single or multi-line display ensure best visibility and readability. An integrated brightness sensor and pixel pitch of 4 or 8 mm guarantee optimum visibility. Whether indoors, outdoors, bright, dark, sunny or rainy: the LED displays are readable at up to 100 meters. The wide radiation of the LEDs ensures a large viewing angle.

Regardless of this, simple displays for integration in metal panels or pillars are available, as are full-surface LED display panels. Thanks to the modular design, almost anything is possible from small to large format: up to eight square meters of display area, possibly more after technical examination of the conditions on site, or multi-page versions. A programmable color change indicates when defined pollutant limits have been exceeded. In addition to numbers and letters, (warning) signs or instructions can also be set.

Further information: Microsyst

The supply chains are interrupted: "Currently not available - or only with a time delay and a high surcharge." This is the answer many companies are currently receiving when they want to order materials and precursors needed for their production. Figures published by the IFO Institute show how tight supply capacities have been for months in many sectors. According to these, 70 percent of manufacturing companies in the DACH region are currently complaining about supply bottlenecks that are hampering their production. The automotive industry is the most affected (91.5 percent), followed by mechanical engineering (80 percent). Among manufacturers of electronic products, too, 4 out of 5 complain of supply problems.

It remains unclear which companies are specifically meant by this. After all, sensors and chips are built into almost all technical devices today. That's why washing machines, razors and e-bikes are currently often described as "out of stock".

Many supply chains are more fragile than thought

Until the Corona pandemic broke out, many companies never imagined that their supply chains could prove so fragile. But then the virus arrived and led to a worldwide slump in industrial demand. So many manufacturers of intermediate products also reduced their production capacities. These are now lacking, as the global economy has picked up unexpectedly quickly, also due to many government stimulus programs. As a result, strong demand is being met by reduced production capacities for intermediate products and extraction capacities for raw materials.

Added to this: In the wake of the pandemic, global goods transport is also still disrupted. In addition, quarantine regulations in Asia, especially China, are repeatedly causing production facilities and ports to fail. This is exacerbating logistics problems and causing transport prices to rise. In addition, many companies are trying to rebuild and expand their inventories of intermediate products due to the continuing uncertainty. This too is exacerbating the shortage of goods and creating supply bottlenecks.

Purchasing maxims are reviewed

As a result of this new experience, many companies are currently rethinking their procurement management. Whereas before Corona quite a few of them operated global sourcing in purchasing according to the maxim "Buy where it's cheapest," factors such as supply security are now increasingly playing an important role in their purchasing decisions in addition to price and product quality.

Many companies that have been advocates of just-in-time production and stockpiling are currently considering increasing their inventories again. Others are considering producing more components themselves again and increasingly relying on local suppliers for procurement. In addition, more than a few companies are rethinking their previous strategy of minimizing the number of their suppliers for cost and administrative reasons. Instead, they are considering bringing on board a second and third supplier for important upstream products which they previously procured from one supplier, in order to reduce their dependence on individual suppliers.

Use software - if and as far as possible

For companies considering a change of supplier or wishing to increase their number, this gives rise to the following challenge: they must first obtain an overview of who could be potential suppliers and then evaluate them so that they can make a qualified selection.

This process requires a lot of time. This is often a problem, especially for small and medium-sized companies without a large purchasing department. This can often be alleviated with digital supplier auditing processes, in which companies first use an online questionnaire to ask potential suppliers to what extent they meet their supply requirements. Ideally, they can get an initial overview of which suppliers are "hot candidates" within a few hours and use this info for their supplier selection and contract negotiations.

Companies are and remain decision makers

However, such software programs are only a tool to systematize and simplify the pre-selection of suppliers. When the decision is made whether to cooperate with supplier A or B, it is important, especially in the case of strategically relevant primary products and materials, to also get to know the supplier's organization - in order to evaluate its self-statements, because: Paper is patient.

In addition, the strategic relevance of the individual products and services must be adequately determined in order to arrive at the right evaluation and selection criteria, because the last few months have shown how quickly even the absence of such small parts as seals, sensors and clamps can paralyze the entire production.

Getting to know the supplier and its organization in person is especially important when it comes to selecting suppliers and service providers with whom the company and its employees have to work almost daily in the service provision process. Then the "chemistry" must also be right, and the extent to which this is the case can only be determined through personal contact.

To the author:
Alban Maier is managing partner of the management consultancy Assention AG, Pfäffikon (www.assention.com). This supports manufacturing companies in analyzing, optimizing and redesigning their business processes, among other things.

The safe handling of chemicals is a major challenge. Companies have to react flexibly to the demands of the market, and the internal situation is subject to constant change: recipes and processes are optimized and rooms are repurposed, chemicals are banned, hazardous substances are replaced, and quantities are adjusted. Existing knowledge is often lost due to personnel changes. In addition, the legal framework is constantly changing and brings with it corresponding consequences for the user companies. Much is in "flux". It is therefore a must to regularly check the proper handling of chemicals in the company and to adapt it to the new conditions with well-founded know-how.

In the event of a lack of caution when handling highly flammable, corrosive, toxic, environmentally hazardous or even highly explosive substances, there is a risk of personal injury, property damage or environmental damage with far-reaching consequences also for the companies. A comprehensive legal basis exists for the areas of transport, disposal, handling and storage of chemicals, as well as for health protection and occupational safety. Companies are obliged to take safety measures. However, the practical implementation of these legal requirements raises many questions and often challenges both the chemical processing companies, the project managers and the enforcement authorities and insurers.

Getting the latest knowledge and expanding your network is the order of the day on May 17, 2022 in Zurich at the event "How to handle chemicals safely." In addition, the conference is recognized by important professional organizations as continuing education. It will be held under the patronage of the SSI Association. The conference is organized by SAVE AG, which specializes in the practical transfer of knowledge between security professionals on the topics of risk management, corporate security, building security, safety and health protection (AS&GS), fire protection, information and infrastructure security, civil protection as well as machine and process safety, incident prevention, natural and environmental hazards, guarding and integral security concepts. 

Further information and the complete conference program at: https://save.ch/event/chemikaliensicherheit-05-2022/

With the KDT600 Steinmeyer Mechatronik offers a large XY scan stage for fast scanning tasks, which can be used to examine biological or medical samples with high precision within a very short time. Even applications with a large number of samples and high-throughput processes require only a few loading cycles. Up to 12 well plates can be placed above the exceptionally large transmitted light of 400 mm with a travel distance of 350 mm. Transillumination of samples from below ensures perfect screening of bioreactions.

Scan table with fast positioning system

By using polished cross roller guides as well as ground stage plates, a repeatability of ±0.15 µm in straightness and flatness is achieved. Thanks to this high precision, only minor refocusing is required even for optics with a very short focus length. The ironless linear motor guarantees a sensitive drive without any disturbing influence on the process parameters. At the same time, the linear motor ensures high dynamics. Accelerations up to 3 m/s² and top speeds of 500 mm/s guarantee short scan times, extremely fast scan results are also achieved in start-stop mode. For equal acceleration values in X and Y, dual motors can optionally be used in the lower axis. The internal feedback system with 0.1-µm resolution and therefore possible positioning steps of 0.3 µm also allows the use of optics with the highest resolutions when using micro-wells.

Air bearing table replacement

The KDT600 is designed for maximum repeatability and achieves accuracies through compensation that were previously reserved exclusively for air bearing systems. However, it is significantly more cost-effective with comparable performance. This is particularly beneficial for applications in the life science and biotech sectors, as well as for active ingredient screening in the pharmaceutical industry. Clean room requirements are met, and a nickel coating is optionally available for surfaces that can be disinfected. When servicing is required, the table can be easily disconnected from the housed cable guide. This shortens maintenance and facilitates integration.

Source: Steinmeyer Mechatronics. Steinmeyer Mechatronik is part of the globally active Steinmeyer Group. As a competence center for positioning solutions, mechatronic systems and optical components, the Dresden-based GmbH offers innovative products and customer-specific solutions for individual tasks. 

Swiss hospitals are "living large" in terms of emissions: 6.7% of the national CO2e footprint is accounted for by the Swiss healthcare system alone. Sustainability should therefore be on the agenda of every hospital management. Some Swiss hospitals are highly innovative. But in many places, the perception of "investment without return" persists. PwC Switzerland has published an impulse paper entitled "Why sustainability pays off for Swiss hospitals". It was written in February 2022 on the basis of real-life practical examples and the know-how of PwC Switzerland's healthcare experts. In the sense of a transfer of experience, the publication contains various recommendations for action.

Switzerland among the leaders in terms of CO2e footprint

In the case of CO₂e-footprint of the healthcare industry, Switzerland ranks among the top countries internationally. In the ranking of the environmental impact of consumption, healthcare ranks fourth, immediately after nutrition, mobility and housing. Depending on the source, the use of healthcare services accounts for 5 to 12 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in Switzerland. In view of this fact, it is surprising that hospital managers and healthcare stakeholders do not generally regard sustainability as a matter of urgency. The aforementioned impulse paper now aims to change that.

Innovative role models are available

Some Swiss hospitals have already made considerable progress in terms of sustainability. The University Hospital Basel, for example, does not use the anesthetic gas desflurane, which is over 2,500 times more harmful to the climate than CO₂. Winterthur Cantonal Hospital is integrating green bonds into the financing strategy for its Minergie ECO-certified new building. As part of a plastic recycling initiative, the Lindenhof Group in Bern was able to recycle over 12 tons of plastic in 2020. The list of positive examples is long and highlights the wealth of opportunities sustainability offers for the Swiss healthcare industry.

Multi-layered potential for Swiss hospitals

"We are convinced that Swiss hospitals are using the key issue of sustainability to unleash a momentum of innovation and significantly shape the future of the healthcare industry," says Philip Sommer, Healthcare Advisory Leader at PwC Switzerland. The authors elaborate on what this momentum looks like in concrete terms in the impulse paper:

• Reduce direct and indirect costs: Swiss hospitals can save substantial resources and reduce (special) waste in the short and medium term.
• Maintaining energy supply security: Independent energy supply and heating with electricity is becoming increasingly important, especially for large-scale consumers.
• Attracting skilled workers: Those who position themselves sustainably gain a decisive competitive edge in the battle for qualified personnel.
• Meeting new reporting obligations: The extended reporting obligations of publicly traded companies since January 1, 2022, come into play for a hospital if, for example, it wants to finance a new building on the capital market.
• Preventing a health crisis: Hospitals will soon no longer be able to cushion a continued increase in illnesses associated with the climate crisis.
• Innovate and differentiate: The fine art of innovation is to combine digitization, data science and sustainability into resource-efficient solutions.
• Supporting national and international climate targets: If the world and Switzerland are to achieve net zero by 2050, everyone must help - including service providers.

In the final chapter of the impulse paper, the authors make ten recommendations for action. These can be summarized as follows: Those who embrace the facets of sustainability can actively position themselves in an increasingly competitive environment and better meet the growing regulatory obligations and demands of their stakeholders. The transformation towards sustainable hospital management requires innovation. It can significantly optimize profitability and future prospects. There are therefore many opportunities, and PwC's experts agree that this potential must be exploited. 

Source and further information: www.pwc.ch. The impulse paper can be download here.

How can small organizations, even with limited resources and IT know-how, gain easy access to bug bounty programs in order to effectively increase their IT security? Finding this out is the goal of a study launched by Bug Bounty Switzerland together with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW, which is supported by the Swiss innovation funding organization Innosuisse. In a preliminary project that recently got underway, the target group of SMEs and municipalities is first being investigated to understand what special needs these organizations have, where hurdles to ethical hacking lie, and how a suitable offering would have to be designed.

Ethical Hacking: The Bug Bounty Concept

The bug bounty concept, i.e. the search for vulnerabilities in IT infrastructures by ethical hackers who are rewarded for their finds, has now caught on in Switzerland - not least thanks to the pioneering work of Bug Bounty Switzerland. With its holistic service offering (from consulting to program set-up and customer support to assistance in closing security gaps) and its own platform hosted in Switzerland, the company has succeeded in making bug bounty programs accessible to more companies. Nevertheless, today it is primarily larger organizations such as the University Hospital Zurich, Ringier, Valiant Bank, the Baloise Group or BKW that run continuous programs with ethical hacking. With the joint research project with ZHAW, Bug Bounty Switzerland is now pursuing the goal of reducing the complexity of the method even further, so that small organizations can also gain access and be empowered to continuously improve their information security.

Given the often scarce financial IT resources in small organizations, the preliminary study is about finding out what alternative funding models are conceivable and what non-monetary incentives could be offered to ethical hackers. In addition, there is the question of providing the know-how needed to deal with the identified vulnerabilities. In particular, those external service providers who take care of the management of IT systems as outsourcing providers must also be involved. Finally, the researchers are also interested in the extent to which a community of bug bounty users could be useful for exchanging information among themselves and with the ethical hackers.

No digitization without IT security: "Digital Trust

IT security is relevant for everyone who relies on modern business models and processes as part of digitalization. After all, digital transformation can only succeed if users and customers have confidence in the processes and security of their data and these remain executable. In this context, one also speaks of "digital trust". However, this trust is at risk when new data leaks occur every week and security gaps can be exploited. Today, SMEs and municipalities are also increasingly falling into the clutches of cybercriminals.

"If the digital transformation in Switzerland as a whole is to succeed, we must not neglect SMEs - and also the public sector - in terms of security," says Peter Heinrich from the Process Management and Information Security Center at the ZHAW School of Management and Law. It is not enough to simply point out security gaps: "We have to create a real ability to act. Organizations must be given the means and know-how to properly assess their exposure and make sensible decisions. We therefore want to find out where they need help to help themselves."

A Swiss ecosystem for dealing with vulnerabilities

In a follow-up project, Bug Bounty Switzerland and the ZHAW want to work on the further development of Bug Bounty Switzerland's platform into a Swiss ecosystem for holistic vulnerability management. This should connect all stakeholders (in addition to ethical hackers, e.g., government agencies and suppliers) in a continuous information security process and also be accessible and affordable for SMEs, micro organizations and public administration. "We live in a networked world. We have to get a grip on protecting Switzerland as a business location on the global network together," explains Sandro Nafzger, CEO of Bug Bounty Switzerland. "As a Swiss bug bounty pioneer, we want to contribute to the security of the country and the success of the digital transformation: together for a secure Switzerland."

Source and further information: www.bugbounty.ch

As the leading trade fair for measurement technology, Control, the international trade fair for quality assurance (QA), has been an ideal forum for personal contact and business exchange for decades. "The high demand for personal trade fair participation has been unbroken for months on the part of the QA industry", confirms project manager Fabian Krüger from trade fair promoter P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG. "All over the world, the industry values Control as an indispensable platform, and is especially anticipating this year's live trade fair after a forced break of two years," says Krüger. "Particularly in these weeks and months, when uncertainty again prevails due to the pandemic, many companies see Control at the beginning of May as a must-attend event," says the project manager, recalling the successful, smooth execution of the attendance trade shows last fall.

QA has never been as important as it is at present

The need for expert discussion on new developments in the QA industry is huge. Many companies are currently introducing enhanced or entirely new QA systems - driven by increasing automation and digitization, more contactless processes, remote services, small batch sizes and zero-defect manufacturing. The need for quality verification of any process, including data analysis and end-to-end traceability, now affects almost all industries from both industrial and service environments. "QA solutions have never been as significant as they are at present," the Control project manager points out. Solutions and systems in measuring and testing technology, materials testing, analysis equipment, vision technology, image processing, sensor technology, and weighing and counting technology have undergone significant further development over the past two years and will find a highly interested trade audience at Control 2022.

High proportion of foreign exhibitors at Control 2022

And the trade public seems to be just waiting to finally be able to visit a trade show live again. Months before the trade fair date, visitors had already asked for tickets, says project manager Fabian Krüger. "Exhibitors and trade visitors finally want to meet in person to discuss QS innovations, because a lot has happened in the past few months." The fact that Control is still considered the world's leading trade show for QS is reflected in the high proportion of foreign exhibitors: around 35 percent come from outside Germany, including Switzerland. 

Advances in automation, digitization, contactless processes, remote services and end-to-end traceability are affecting all industries, now including service sectors. Test technology users use diverse QA solutions inline in networked processes - even contactless. This will be explored in greater depth at the special show "Contactless Metrology" organized by the Fraunhofer Vision Alliance, which will be held for the 17th time at Control 2022. In Hall 6, it will present a cross-section of innovative technologies from the field of non-contact measurement and testing technology.

Further information: https://www.control-messe.de/

If the cross-sections in the lines of injection molds are reduced as a result of contamination, it is no longer possible to dissipate sufficient heat. This makes regular cleaning of cooling channels on injection molding equipment necessary. Previous chemical methods for cleaning often have to be carried out manually, with contact with the aggressive cleaning substances posing an increased health and safety risk for employees. Therefore, wattec GmbH offers the Dreyproper, a fully automatic, mobile cleaning aid that removes such deposits quickly and safely. Now the fourth generation of the cleaning device has been revised once again in terms of cleaning performance and user-friendliness.

Optimized cleaning of cooling channels

The new Dreyproper 4.1 version removes all deposits in an injection mold by simply connecting the device to its cooling channels. This avoids direct contact of personnel with cleaning agents, as is common with conventional manual methods. Subsequently, the first thing that activates is the drinking water flooding, then the circulation pump is switched on and fresh water is pumped through the channels to determine if there is a leak in the mold. If no leakage was found, the unit begins to introduce the cleaning chemical and starts the actual cleaning process. "To ensure that even layers of sludge that have sometimes formed on lime or rust in the pipes are not only loosened but also removed, the so-called rampling process complements chemical cleaning," explains Joachim Rohmann, managing director of wattec GmbH. "In this mechanical cleaning method, air bubbles of different sizes act as air brushes and loosen the deposits and incrustations from the sewer wall." Throughout the process, various sensors monitor and document the flow rate as well as the cleaning performance. This can be viewed via touch screen; likewise, the control of the automatic cleaning is carried out via this console.

Double number of cleaning channels reduces process time

During the revision of the Dreyproper to variant 4.1, the focus was on improved cleaning economy. An optimized geometry now allows the connection of eight instead of four cooling channels for flow-monitored rinsing. At the same time, more cleaning liquid can be pumped through. This is fed into the channels via a multistage, frequency-controlled centrifugal pump that can generate high pressure. A compressed air connection is mounted behind it, which is used to inject air bubbles into the volume flow of cleaning agent. "Via a fully automatic change in pressure, the air bubbles are alternately enlarged and reduced," Rohmann explains. "The resulting flow swirls the air bubbles and causes them to bounce against the deposits again and again. In this way, even stubborn incrustations are detached and entrained." In this way, the inner surface of the cooling channels can be brushed over a large area, so that both insulating sludge layers and the deposits underneath are removed.

Following the entire cleaning process, the chemical is neutralized with a second solution and then rinsed out with fresh water. This procedure ensures that all chemical residues are removed from the injection mold. An additional heat exchanger rapidly dissipates the heat generated. As a result, the cleaning cycle can be started up to 45 minutes faster. "To further reduce system downtimes, the channels can be automatically blown out via the compressed air connection at the end of cleaning," says Rohmann. "This removes any remaining liquid from the injection mold that would otherwise have to be removed via an additional work step. It is immediately clean and dry." After that, all connections of the Dreyproper are dismantled from the respective injection mold and the cleaning device, which now contains the neutralized solution, is removed. The injection mold is immediately ready for use.

Test phase and on-site consultation

To convince themselves of the efficiency and simple operation of the Dreyproper 4.1, users can also rent the device on a trial basis. The cleaning experts from wattec will be happy to provide advice, for example to help optimize the cooling water. "These appointments are also extremely valuable for ourselves, as we receive feedback directly from the field," adds Rohmann. "The experience gained is naturally incorporated into the continuous improvement of the cleaning programs and their operation, which is reflected in the current variant." With these personal contacts, the manufacturer ensures that the injection molds are always optimally cleaned and the Dreyproper is always state of the art.

Further information on the Internet at: www.wattec.de

The achievements of the industrial revolutions have led to enormous efficiency in production - but not to Sustainable Productivity: everyday products from the fields of electronics, consumption and transport are produced so cheaply that they can be made available to the entire population. A prosperity that at the same time makes it possible to afford a sometimes shockingly low level of utilization of the objects used. For example, the average utilization rate of a private car is just four percent. A large proportion of consumer and electronic goods are disposed of after a short period of use - efficient production makes this possible.

A long way from Sustainable Productivity

The continuous pursuit of cost optimization and increased efficiency has led to a capital- and resource-intensive productivity mindset. This is evident in the increased CO2 emissions, which have almost doubled since 1990. The social and ecological effects of this development have become increasingly obvious in recent years. In particular, the worsening climate crisis has caused capital- and resource-intensive productivity thinking to differ from the future image of a more ecologically aware society. As one of the polluters, the manufacturing industry bears a great responsibility in this regard. German-speaking industry must initiate a sustainable production turnaround - and do so immediately!

The production turnaround is both a necessity and an opportunity

In the course of this, the concept of productivity must be fundamentally rethought to include a holistic view of sustainability. This is where the study "Sustainable Productivity" by the Chair of Production Systems at the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering WZL at RWTH Aachen University comes in. The aim of the study was to develop the new understanding of the concept of productivity necessary to initiate the production turnaround. Whereas financial targets have been the main focus so far, these have to be complemented by environmental, social and regulatory targets. These novel goals have implications for the design of products in the phases of product development, production and use. This new type of design is made possible by digitization and, in particular, by the "Internet of Production," which provides the transparency needed to holistically increase sustainability.

In addition to the necessity associated with responsibility, the production turnaround also means an enormous opportunity for a sustainable orientation of the German-speaking industry. On the one hand, this includes the socially perceived as well as the real shaping of the holistic change by the German-speaking manufacturing industry. On the other hand, it creates a clear competitive advantage over competing locations. In the interaction of these two factors, a monetizable added value is achieved.

This study provides companies with concrete recommendations on how to shape their production in the direction of sustainable production. In addition to key figures for evaluating the current situation and progress, existing success stories of manufacturing companies are presented.

Source and further information: WZL

Test and measurement expert Hottinger Brüel & Kjaer (HBK) has been honored for its 50 years of membership in one of the most important German quality organizations, the German Society for Quality (DGQ). The award, or the corresponding certificate, was presented on September 14, 2021, at HBK's Darmstadt site and recognizes the company's long-standing commitment to high-quality solutions in the interest of its customers.

HBK's German headquarters was the first company of its kind to receive ISO 9001 certification in 1986. The registration number of HBK's certification also reflects this: DQS-000001 for ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management), ISO 50001 (energy management). Thanks to these standards, HBK's customers can be sure to receive products and services of the highest quality. This is particularly crucial for customers in the military sector or for sensitive projects, for example in the aerospace industry.

The DGQ (German Society for Quality) is a central, national quality organization in Germany. It acts primarily as the first point of contact as well as moderator and mediator in quality issues. The umbrella organization is a registered association and can draw on a unique network of experts.

HBK - Hottinger, Brüel & Kjaer - offers a complete portfolio of solutions across the test and measurement product lifecycle, bringing together the physical world of sensors, tests and measurements with the digital world of simulation, modeling software and analysis. By creating a scalable and open system for data acquisition hardware, software and simulation, product developers can reduce time-to-market, drive innovation and lead the way in a competitive global market.

Further information: https://www.hbkworld.com/en/about/quality-management