Accelerating productivity on vehicle production lines

Poorly regulated climate control will affect a car manufacturing facility’s output in a number of ways. In a highly competitive industry like automotive manufacturing, every measure must be taken to boost efficiency while meeting the high standards of consumers and the strict regulations of government bodies.

In addition to investing in new technology and streamlining your processes, the installation of an effective climate control solution is key.

Why is climate control so important for your facilities?

Today, many automotive factories operate on longer shifts than ever before in order to meet tightening production timelines and maximise their output. The intensity of this work can often produce large amounts of dust and fumes, as well as raising the temperatures on the factory floor.

While production lines may be running like clockwork, heat that is left unaddressed can cause damage to machinery and an unhealthy (or even dangerous) environment for employees. Working in hot temperatures without frequent opportunities to rest and rehydrate will drain productivity as the conditions take their toll on staff.

In factories without an effective cooling system, heat stress can be a major risk. As the body struggles to maintain a healthy temperature, the risk of exhaustion, dehydration, cramps and heat stroke increases. Aside from the danger to employees, some of the early symptoms of these heat-related illnesses can include impaired attention spans and motor skills. This makes it unsafe for staff to operate dangerous machinery and can result in poor quality-control of a factory’s output.

Air cooling as nature intended

Large automotive factories already use an enormous amount of energy during production, without factoring-in the power needed to air-condition an entire facility. By using latent heat energy from evaporation, evaporative cooling units can cut running costs by up to 90% compared to an equivalent refrigeration system.

How does it work?
As water evaporates, particles with the highest energy leave the moisture first, leading to a drop in temperature. Evaporative cooling systems take advantage of this natural process to cool down a space.

1. A fan draws hot dry air across cooler pads which absorb water from a reservoir.

2. When the hot air crosses the cooler pads, the water molecules on the surface evaporate and lower the air temperature inside the system.

3. This fresh air is circulated around a building, forcing hot stale air outside.

What makes evaporation air cooling different from air conditioning?

In addition to the above-mentioned 90% reduction in energy consumption, evaporative air cooling systems don’t rely on refrigerant gasses like standard air-conditioning units do. By using outside air and harnessing latent heat energy, they are able to flow cool fresh air into a space.

Air-conditioning units, on the other hand, use a mechanical cooling system to recirculate the air, often reducing its quality and making the atmosphere feel dry as humidity is removed.

Some of the key benefits of evaporative air coolers are:

• Efficiency
  By using energy already present in the process of evaporation, evaporative air coolers use up to 80% less energy than standard air-conditioning.

• Air quality
  Because evaporative cooling units can use fresh, natural air from outside the building, fumes, odours and stale air can be eliminated instead of re-circulated.

• Convenience
  While buildings need to be relatively well sealed for air-conditioning to be effective, evaporative cooling units can operate and maximum efficiency while doors and windows remain open.

Ready to harness the power of evaporation?

Evaporative air cooling units from Dantherm Group allow for cooling zones to maximise efficiency in specific areas of your production. To learn about the options available or for more on boosting your efficiency with climate control solutions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.