Pumps These five trends are influencing manufacturers and users

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FAULHABER Drive Systems

Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA)

Pumps are the heart of many industrial processes and are constantly evolving. But alongside technical innovations in and around the pump itself, five trends are currently shaping the market. These form the basis for modern pump systems.

The recession has not spared the sales of pumps either: Orders at pump manufacturers have declined or stagnated, while cost increases are eating up any remaining profits. According to market research firm Ibis World, sales of pumps, compressors, valves, and fittings in Europe have fallen by 6.2 percent over the past five years. And the economic situation remains subdued here.

Despite everything, pumps remain the heart of many industrial processes and are indispensable for energy technology, battery manufacturing, the circular economy, and the production of "green" hydrogen. Moreover, when considering the global pump market, emerging countries like Brazil and India, and now probably the USA, will drive the demand for pumps. They are investing in mining, gas and oil extraction, and water and wastewater supply—unthinkable without pumps.

Trend 1: Energy efficiency and sustainability

But what are the current trends in pumps? Looking at trade shows and market research firms, the trends clearly reflect developments in the entire industry—for example, the increasing importance of energy efficiency and sustainability. The industry must comply with more and more environmental regulations, which pushes it to use more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions. Pump manufacturers are naturally responding to this, with their products meeting increasingly stringent standards, such as emissions, energy consumption, and waste reduction.

Pumps account for a large portion of energy consumption in industry, but now savings potential is possible in various ways:

• efficient drives: operate pumps with frequency converters and use motors with a high efficiency class;

• optimal system: precisely coordinate hydraulics, drive, and automation, while thoroughly analyzing the entire pump system—including pipes, fittings, and valves—and design it for the application;

• Use of intelligent, connected components.

Sustainability, and thus the topics of recycling and the CO₂ footprint, are also coming more into focus. There are now recycling programs, such as Grundfos Take Back or the return of old pumps at Wilo, to recycle materials and components. Such programs strike a chord, as awareness of sustainable circular economy is increasing.

Trend 2: Predictive maintenance

Smart pumps equipped with sensors provide valuable insights into their condition and performance. This monitoring allows for predictive maintenance and can identify issues before they lead to equipment failures. Various pump manufacturers already offer solutions that fundamentally rely on analyzing data from ongoing operations and making corresponding predictions.

For example, the Abel Smart Pump Assistant can automatically detect faults by evaluating data from ongoing operations using machine learning algorithms. At the same time, the optimal next maintenance date is calculated. Timmer offers something similar with Tim IOT. KSB can also equip existing pumps with "intelligence" through the KSB Guard. Connected to the KSB Cloud, it sends the data to where it is processed in the KSB Guard Monitoring Center. Phoenix Contact takes a different approach with the Pump Monitor: The control cabinet solution captures bearing and machine vibrations and can be integrated into higher-level control systems.

These proactive approaches minimize downtime, reduce maintenance costs through demand-oriented maintenance intervals, and reduce energy consumption.

Trend 3: Digitalization

The digitization of pump applications forms the basis for digital services that can benefit both manufacturers and users. The data provided is used for condition monitoring and also for optimizing processes and machines. For example, Grundfos offers the Demand Driven Distribution (DDD) pressure management system, which uses pressure sensors at critical points in the water supply network to optimally control system pressure. This reduces leaks, lowers energy consumption, and decreases pipe damage.

Another use of digital data is pump services offered by pump manufacturers. In addition to digital monitoring and specific recommendations for action, many also offer remote maintenance or, like KSB, take over the complete operation and maintenance.

Trend 4: Use of AI

AI-supported analyses of pump data help to recognize patterns, predict potential failures, and optimize performance for specific processes. In the area of predictive maintenance, AI models can be trained to monitor pump applications based on critical measurement parameters. Deviations from the normal state trigger an alarm. Work is also underway to continuously optimize operating processes and adapt them to environmental conditions using neural networks.

Trend 5: Mobile pumps

For changing or unforeseen work environments, mobile pumps are the first choice. They are versatile, easy to transport, and generally designed for simple maintenance. This flexibility makes them popular because they can be quickly deployed wherever needed: from the raw materials industry, food industry, and agriculture to firefighting. Lutz Pumps also places such a mobile pump on a transport trolley, which is easy to maneuver.

These pumps are usually powered by either an electric motor or a combustion engine; battery versions are also now available.