4. FiT2clean Award – Submit innovations and further developments for component cleaning

The coveted FiT2clean Award, endowed with 10,000 euros, was awarded in 2024 to PartikelART Solution GmbH for the development of an AI-based app for quick and easy particle analysis using a smartphone. Dr.-Ing Ronny Zwinkau, Managing Director of Partikel ART (center), Juliane Schulze, Board Member of FiT (left), and Dr. Michael Flämmich, Chairman of FiT (right). (Image source: Fachverband industrielle Teilereinigung e.V.)

The FiT2clean Award, endowed with €10,000 and a one-year free membership, annually honors innovative solutions and outstanding performance in industrial component cleaning.

The Professional Association for Industrial Part Cleaning e. V. (FiT) has been awarding the FiT2clean Award annually since 2022 for outstanding achievements and new solutions to current challenges in industrial component cleaning. The application phase for the €10,000 innovation prize has begun and runs until August 15, 2025. Eligible to participate are providers and users from all areas of industrial cleaning technology. The 4th FiT2clean Award will be presented during this year's parts2clean on October 9, 2025.

As a cross-sectional technology, industrial cleaning technology makes an important contribution to product quality and thus to value creation across all industries. New products and altered process chains not only lead to more diversified applications in this quality-critical manufacturing step, but also create completely new tasks in component cleaning. "Industrial cleaning technology is increasingly developing into a key technology for implementing innovative product ideas. Because as a Quality Gate, the cleanability of components determines whether their production is technically and economically feasible," explains Dr. Michael Flämmich, Chairman of the Board of FiT. Furthermore, resource efficiency of cleaning processes and the resulting CO2 footprint are increasingly becoming decision criteria. "New and further developments in various areas of industrial cleaning technology therefore play a decisive role in strengthening the innovative capacity and competitiveness of companies," reports Michael Flämmich. "With the FiT2clean Award, the professional association contributes to promoting and advancing innovative solutions and outstanding achievements in industrial part cleaning." The innovation prize, endowed with €10,000 and a one-year free membership, will be awarded for the fourth time in 2025.

Applications in three categories

Participants in the call for entries can be national and international manufacturers, providers, and users from all areas of industrial cleaning technology. Innovations, currently implemented product ideas, and further developments from the following topic areas can be submitted:

– Innovation: New product or product variation to meet current requirements in industrial component cleaning.
– Ecology: Solutions for industrial part cleaning or for changing a product, process, or application case, resulting in resource-optimized process management or resource savings.
– QSRein 4.0: Innovative system solution for knowledge-based process management in industrial part cleaning.
The application deadline has recently started and runs until August 15, 2025.

Award ceremony on October 9 at parts2clean

The submitted applications will be evaluated by an independent expert jury – consisting of individuals from science, research, industry, and media – according to defined criteria. The 4th FiT2clean Award will be presented on October 9, 2025, during parts2clean. The leading trade fair for industrial parts and surface cleaning will take place from October 7 to 9, 2025, at the Stuttgart exhibition grounds.

Further information about the FiT2clean Award, the jury, participation conditions, and application documents can be found on the FiT homepage (www.fit-online.org/fit2clean).