The chemical industry requires its production facilities to operate with maximum reliability and availability, with equipment often running around the clock. Equipment and components must frequently work in challenging conditions and must not fail even under heavy thermal, chemical or abrasive loads. Mechanical processing technology plays a leading role in numerous core processes in chemical engineering and in conveying input and end products within facilities. Because these products are extremely diverse, the systems need to be planned and constructed with consideration of their individual properties. Equipment must also be able to convey and process bulk solids that cake or flow poorly, as well as difficult-to-wet powders or sensitive granules. This means that plants and equipment are generally customised to suit each application.