ASHRAE Journal - August 2008 - (Page 11)

AC Factory in China: Familiar, Clean, High Tech SUZHOU, China—What do you expect The Suzhou facility features high-tech when you visit a factory in China? An automatic assembly systems and autoimage of a darkened, stuffy and loud matic soldering equipment. Throughout workplace could come to mind. Such the production process, products undergo places might exist in some industries, strict tests using automated functional and but in HVAC&R, the Chinese workplace in-circuit test systems, checking 100% of is amazingly like what can be found in the components fitted. “Quality is guaranFair Lawn, N.J.; Bracknell, England; or teed by the in-house quality assurance dein the case of the controls manufacturer partment. We work closely with the Carel Group Quality Assurance area,” said MaCarel, in Padova, Italy. Located about 75 miles from Shanghai rino Perazzolo, plant manager. According is the city of Suzhou, a modestly sized city to the company, products made in Suzhou by Chinese standards of some 6 million are compliant with the RoHS standards, people compared to the 17 million of Shanghai. The two cities have virtually merged, with high-rise office buildings and residential buildings lining both sides of the highway linking them. In 2005, Suzhou became home to a 4000 m2 (43 000 ft2) production facility operated by Carel. The Suzhou area where Carel is located closely re- Worker training and production line reporting are important sembles the type of indus- components of Carel’s quality assurance program. trial park most Americans would recognize. Corporate logos greet which prohibit the use of hazardous subvisitors at entrances to long, low-rise stances, such as cadmium and lead in the buildings surrounded by well-main- member states of the European Union. tained grounds. Workers line up at bus An exhibitor at CR Expo, Carel demstops after completing their shifts. onstrated its electrode humidifier “huInside Carel’s facility, workers dressed miSteam.” The 18 kg/h (40 lb/h) model was in matching uniforms assemble electron- especially conceived for offices, industrial ic components in the same manner as facilities and steam baths in the Chinese their counterparts in Italy. Supervisors market. Compared to previous models, the post benchmarking production reports new range has larger control panels with in English, the facility’s working lan- wide graphic LCD and detailed diagnosguage. According to General Manager tic information and offers better perforMartino Manfrin, the plant was opened mance. The company says the humidifier to respond to the growing requirements at first start-up is up to three times quicker of the Chinese market and to serve the than previous models and accepts supply other European and American compa- water with a wider range of conductivity. nies that are already Carel partners and Its control software automatically adjusts manufacture in China. “The procedures operation based on characteristics of the and processes adopted in China, and water to simplify installation and optimize above all, the underlying principles are maintenance-free life, according to their the same used in Italy.” spokesman at CR Expo. August 2008 China Refrigeration www.info.hotims.com/16017-19 ASHRAE Journal 11 http://www.dedietrichboilers.com http://www.dedietrichboilers.com http://www.info.hotims.com/16017-19

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ASHRAE Journal - August 2008

ASHRAE Journal - August 2008 Contents Commentary Industry News Letters Meetings and Shows Maintain to Sustain—Delivering ASHRAE’s Sustainability Promise Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation: Current Best Practices Improving Humidity Control With Energy Recovery Ventilation Single- or Two-Stage Compression Data Center Cooling: Using Wet-Bulb Economizers Building Sciences InfoCenter Practical Pointers Products Emerging Technologies Washington Report People Special Products Classified Advertising Advertising Index

ASHRAE Journal - August 2008

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