WP3 meeting PTB-Berlin Monday, May 17, 2004 Contribution of Therm@l Consulting

1. WP3 meeting PTB-Berlin Monday, May 17, 2004 Contribution of Therm@l Consulting in Tasks 3-5, 3-6, 3-7

2. Task 3-5 : Databases of manufacturers of thermal equipment and suppliers (not covered by WP4-9) • Heatflux sensors,thermoelectric modules (7) • Flexible heaters (2) • Heat sinks, heat exchangers (2) • Thermal interfaces materials (1) • Thermal management solutions (1) • Laboratory furnaces (9) • Temperature controllers (2) • Temperature chambers (4) • Thermal stages for microscopy (2)

3. Task 3-5 : Databases of manufacturers of thermal equipment and suppliers (not covered by WP4-9) • Temperature data loggers (2) • Heating elements (8) • High temperature materials (cements, coatings) (4) • Crucibles (2) • Gas analyzers (2) • Insulating materials (1) • Cryogenics (4)

4. Task 3-6 : Implement a system of determining industry’s needs for knowledge and training • Definition of the industrial needs (according to the received questionnaires and the different contacts) • The real industrial needs are largely met by the vast information available in the Internet. • The questionnaires received and other contacts (International Conferences, European Projects, etc.) often reveal the lack of basic scientific information. As an example, it does not seem clear that temperature can be measured determining the value of an electric resistance, or that heat and temperature have a different physical meaning. Not to say of more sophisticate issues. • Very briefly, the SME with qualified personnel do not need any special training, the one easily available in the web being rather adequate. On-line controls are sometimes poor, mainly because of budget limitations. In such cases however there is a lack of awareness about the negative impact on the quality of the final products.

5. Task 3-6 : Implement a system of determining industry’s needs for knowledge and training What can be proposed is a specific training on Thermal Critical Control Point(s) (TCCP) mainly addressed to the check of the thermo-physical properties of plants and products during processing, storage and distribution. The idea is not new at all being currently practiced in view of food safety (HACCP, that mainly deals with microbial degradation). It should simply be adjusted to meet the needs of other industrial processes and products the quality of which is mainly related to their thermal history and/or to thermo-physical properties.

6. The main principles of TCCP should be : • Need of a Thermal Control • Determine the critical points (CPs) in the production process. • Determine the CPs which may be CCPs being of high importance to the quality of the product and which may be controlled safely using simple checks. • Define a control system of the critical points, using tests which can be carried out during production in order to interfere in case of wrong product. Introduce a documentation in order to record every happening. Define the corrections to be made in case of critical point being out of control. • Define the way of verification to confirm that the TCCP-system works.

7. Timetable to install an TCCP System • The head of the enterprise names a Manager who is responsible for the installation of the TCCP System • This Manager names the members of the team which shall work out the TCCP system. The team should include members of the production line, members of the quality control, members of the development. They should be persons with knowledge of basic physics and chemistry. • The team makes the "Flow Diagrams of the Products and relevant Production processes". • The team determines which thermal properties should be kept under control during the production process: they can be relevant to the product itself or to the plant. • The team checks all documents to make corrections of possible errors. • The team marks all CPs on the flow diagrams. CPs are all points were a hazard for quality of the product or safety of the plant might occur. • The team identifies and marks all CCPs on the flow diagrams, trying to have a low number of critical control points. CCP is a Critical Point were the hazard can be avoided, eliminated or reduced to an acceptable level. • The Manager verifies if the system works or not and if the internal audits are made in time. After installing the system it should be rechecked periodic. The work on the basic documents will never end.

8. How to identify a CCP ? • At any point of the production line ask the question: Is this point critical for the final quality of the product and/or the proper workimg of the plant? • IF NO go to the next point. IT IS NOT A CP. • IF YES , the point is put under control selecting the adequate thermal property to monitor. It IS A CCP • Are the control activities sufficient to avoid, eliminate or reduce the danger to an acceptable level? IF NO, the technology of the production should be changed. • IF YES the CCP is marked in the flow diagram. and the controls are enumerated how often they have to be done and what specifications have to be observed.

9. For every CCP there should be made a list containing the following informations: • The place were the CCP is situated along the production line, the storage rooms, or transport chain. • What kind of controls should be made. • What kind of instruments are necessary (e.g. thermometers). • Instructions how to handle the instruments and detailed description of the laboratory methods. • How often shall the controls be made. • Who makes the controls (Name the personal and the substitutes who have to make the controls)

10. Web sites where e-training on thermal properties is available • http://www.tainst.com/support/training.html • training@tainstruments.com. • http://iep.tu-graz.ac.at/thermo/intro.html • http://www.institut-thermographie.com/ • http://www.cstl.nist.gov/div836/836.05/thermometry/course/FxPt/FxPt_outline.htm • http://www.expertune.com/tutor.html • http://newton.ex.ac.uk/teaching/CDHW/Feedback/index.html • http://www.nmi.nl/nmi.php?id=23&lg=en • http://www.energia-pet.com/e/ • http://www.atsrheosystems.com/training.html • http://www.npl.co.uk/thermal/heattransfer/ (about Heat Transfer) • http://www.temperatures.com/applications.html • www.temperatureworld.com • http://www.hartscientific.com/seminars/index.htm • http://www.tempsensor.net/Sections+index-req-listarticles-secid-14.html (literature) • http://www.temperatures.com/community.html

11. Task 3-7 : Develop a newsletter and e-mail forum • Situation about the newsletter : publication of the first version, editorial committee • Situation about the e-mail forum : first version operational on the ATHENA website. Comments on the use.