Successful conference, award ceremony, members' meeting, and 20th anniversary celebration of FiT in Dresden

A fitting conclusion to the 20th anniversary celebration of FiT was the evening cruise on the Elbe with a steamship. (Image source: Fachverband industrielle Teilereinigung e.V.)

Over 120 participants gathered at the 32nd Conference on Industrial Part Cleaning to learn about current challenges and solutions in industrial parts cleaning. (Image source: Fachverband industrielle Teilereinigung e.V.)

The accompanying exhibition was used by 26 companies to present products and services to the professional audience as well as to discuss task challenges. (Image source: Fachverband industrielle Teilereinigung e.V.)

The FiT2clean Award endowed with 10,000 euros was secured this year by PartikelART Solution GmbH with an AI-based app for quick and easy particle analysis. Following in the rankings were solutions from acp systems AG and Kist + Escherich GmbH. Juliane Schulze (FiT), Philipp Kist (Kist + Escherich), Dr. Ronny Zwinkau (PartikelART Solution), Karl-Heinz Menauer (acp systems), Dr. Michael Flämmich (FiT). (Image source: Fachverband industrielle Teilereinigung e.V.)

The members of the newly elected FiT Board: Juliane Schulze (SITA Measurement Technology), Rainer Straub (Ecoclean GmbH), Birgit Fruggel (Schaeffler Technologies), Florian Weber (Weber Ultrasonics), Kerstin Zübert (Hermann Bantleon), Dr. Michael Flämmich (Vacom Vacuum Components & Measurement Technology), and Gerhard Koblenzer (LPW Cleaning Systems). (Image source: Fachverband industrielle Teilereinigung e.V.)

In 2024, the Professional Association for Industrial Part Cleaning e. V. (FiT) will celebrate its 20th anniversary. An ideal setting for this was provided by the 32nd Conference on Industrial Part Cleaning, held on September 11 and 12 with a total of 121 participants and 26 exhibiting companies in Dresden. One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of the third FiT2clean Award.

The program of the two-day event on September 11 and 12 at the Dorint Hotel in Dresden included a total of 15 lectures. In line with the motto "FiT – 20 Years in Service of Industrial Part Cleaning – A Look Back and Two Forward Connecting Tradition and Innovation," the 121 participants could learn about much more than just the innovations and progress of the past two decades in industrial part cleaning from the perspectives of plant technology, chemistry, and measurement technology. The plenary lectures on the first day addressed the new challenges and fundamental changes in part cleaning resulting from the transformation from combustion engines to e-mobility and hydrogen technology for the automotive industry and its suppliers. Additionally, the cleanliness requirements that must be met, for example, in the final cleaning of components for the semiconductor industry, medical technology, hydraulics, and vacuum technology, were discussed. These are fields considered future technologies. The other presentations from the "Environment & Chemistry" and "Plants & Processes" sectors provided information on product development in cleaning media and the influence of national and international chemical legislation. The developments in solvent and aqueous part cleaning, as well as progress in processes and procedures including partial cleaning, offered solutions to sustainably, reliably, and economically master current challenges in part cleaning. The lectures on the second day focused on "Measurement & Testing," where methods for cleanliness analysis were presented, along with developments in equipment for process control, the current status of VDA 19, and an outlook on future developments in this area. Participants were also brought up to date on the FiT guidelines "Process Solutions," which mark the next step in knowledge preparation and dissemination. Another presentation examined how the requirements for surface cleanliness in high purity applications could develop by 2030. In the concluding keynote, listeners learned what steps and measures can make AI the best employee in a company.

The overall evaluation of the conference with a grade of 1.8 and consistently positive comments from participants regarding the program, quality of lectures, and venue demonstrate that FiT has provided answers to current challenges as a navigator of component cleaning. At the same time, the high level of approval underscores the leading position of the conference as a source of knowledge on industrial part cleaning. The 26 exhibiting companies also expressed great satisfaction with their participation.

FiT2clean Award 2024 Presentation

A successful conclusion to the first day was the presentation of the 3rd FiT2clean Award. It began with the presentation of solutions by the three finalists on site, after which participants could vote on the winner. The innovation prize, endowed with 10,000 euros, was awarded to particleART Solution GmbH for an innovative, AI-based app for rapid and easy particle analysis. In second and third place were solutions from acp systems AG and Kist + Escherich GmbH.

FiT Board Elected for Three Years

Following the conference, the association's members' meeting informed about the activities of the various committees over the past twelve months and current projects being worked on. Additionally, the short-, medium-, and long-term goals developed in strategy meetings were presented. The agenda also included the regular election of the board, with the current board member Andreas Pradel (Surtec Deutschland GmbH) not running for re-election at his own request. The other members of the previous board stood for re-election. As a new candidate, Birgit Fruggel (Senior Expert Surface Conditioning & Technical Cleanliness, Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG) presented her expertise from the user perspective. In the subsequent block vote, all candidates were unanimously elected for the next three years. The current officeholders, Dr. Michael Flämmich (Vacom Vakuum Komponenten & Messtechnik GmbH) as chairman and Rainer Straub (Ecoclean GmbH) as deputy, were confirmed in their positions.

A perfect conclusion to the 20-year celebration of FiT in Dresden was a boat trip on the Elbe River. Enjoying good food and stimulating conversations, the day ended in a very relaxed atmosphere.