When your products are used across industries as diverse and critical as the rail, automotive, electrical, construction and medical industries, it is essential that your standards for quality are uncompromising. Makin Metal Powders use reliable Tinytag data loggers to maintain their commitment to delivering the highest quality metal powders to their customers across the globe.

Makin Metal Powders are a UK manufacturer of copper and copper alloy powders, who supply copper powder, bronze powder, tin powder, infiltrants and press-ready pre-mix powders to a wide and diverse market. Their products, renowned for their quality and consistency, are used in the manufacture of items from friction linings (brakes and clutches) and bearing material to ceramics and medical instruments.

Committed to maintaining the quality of their products, all of Makin Metal Powders' processes and systems are accredited to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Their products are also fully compliant with European REACH regulations.

To maintain these standards and guarantee the high quality of their powders, Makin Metal Powders use Tinytag data loggers to measure temperatures during the production process and monitor ambient temperature and relative humidity in the factory.

Four Tinytag Plus 2 TGP-4104 high temperature data loggers are deployed in the laboratory for process monitoring. The data loggers, for use with high-temperature PT 100 probes, can monitor temperatures up to 600°C. With dustproof and waterproof (IP68) casing, the Tinytag Plus 2 range of data loggers is ideal for use in industrial processing.

Two of the high-temperature Plus 2 data loggers are used to monitor exhaust flue temperature inside large drying equipment. This enables the laboratory to verify that the equipment has been programmed with the correct settings and is performing correctly. The remaining two TGP-4104 loggers measure process temperatures directly during the foundry melting process. Monitoring and recording temperatures at this stage in the production is vital for ensuring that the product is compliant with specifications.

To measure ambient conditions in the factory, three Tinytag View 2 TV-4506 temperature and relative humidity data loggers are used. The data loggers have digital displays, making them useful for spot-checking temperatures as well as recording data for the long-term, and feature temperature and relative humidity probes with coated RH sensors.

Through monitoring ambient conditions, Makin Metal Powders can ensure the proper storage of powders so that they do not degrade. Monitoring temperature and RH in the factory has also helped the company to manage and maintain a comfortable working environment in accordance with ISO 45001 health and safety recommendations.

With the easy-to-use Tinytag Explorer software, the laboratory is able to quickly download and view the data from the loggers. This enables greater oversight over the production process and allows the company to control their processes more precisely, resulting in a more consistent product. Understanding equipment performance helps the company to optimise the equipment's efficiency, which thereby helps to reduce the company's energy costs.

In response to the ambient data, the company are able to adjust the environmental conditions in the factory where necessary. In particular, the data has helped Makin Metal Powders to identify areas of the factory where it is unsuitable to store or process powders that are susceptible to moisture pick-up.

Chris Williams, Research and Development Laboratory Manager for Makin Metal Powders, is pleased with the performance of the data loggers in the factory environment. "We have been using Gemini Data Loggers for a great many years now, and have always found [Tinytags] to be reliable and accurate with data being recorded in harsh environments where some other data loggers have failed," says Chris. "Even after long periods of no use, a quick service battery and they are good to go again!"

Commenting on the company's experience with Gemini Data Loggers, Chris continues, "We have always found dealing with Gemini Data Loggers as a company a pleasure, with service kits and new loggers being despatched with efficiency. The loggers themselves, along with the software, are easy-to-use and survive well in a hostile environment such as a metal foundry."

Tinytag data loggers are a reliable choice for process and quality control in harsh manufacturing environments. With a variety of features such as splash-proof (IP65) or waterproof (IP68) casing and options for extreme-temperature probes, along with easy-to-use data logging software, the Tinytag range offers robust monitoring solutions for manufacturers and quality executives.