Metalworking Lubricant Services | T: 01785 712950 | F: 01785 711043
Coolant Trial Final Report - 19th May 2005
January 2003
Incumbent company supplying cutting fluids on site, problems found during our initial assessment were:
- Typical sump life of 12 weeks – ranging from 4 weeks to 4 months
- Heavy bacterial infections throughout site
- Common corrosion problems on all cast iron operations, resulting in a large degree of re-work
- Evidence of skin irritation problems due to biocide additions by incumbent coolant supplier. 36 machines on site
- Machine downtime equal to 48 hours per annum per machine due to machine change
MLS consultants calculated the inefficiency of the lubricant system as follows;
- Cost Analysis following Initial Consultation
- Cost of downtime equal to £3,000 per machine, a total of £108,000 per annum
- Waste disposal due to poor performance equal to 144,000 litres
- Waste disposal cost £12,000 per annum
- Additional coolant concentrate consumption due to poor performance equal to 7,200 litres @ £15,000/annum
- Total cost of poor performance £135,000 per annum
February/March 2003
Trial initiated to demonstrate the potential of minimum sump life of 1 year.
January 2004
Trial reaches conclusion when client agree it has been successful and MLS are instructed to take over the supply of cutting fluids. All cast iron machining is converted to MLS.
May 2004
Con rod line converted to MLS.
August 2004
First trial machine has coolant changed while on maintenance shutdown, coolant has lasted 18 months and is still free from bacterial infections.
January 2005
Second trial machine is changed during Christmas shut-down, coolant has lasted 24 months and is free of bacterial infection.
May 2005
Majority of cast iron machine coolant has been in service for 15 months, no failures reported due to bacterial infections.
Benefits since converting to MLS
- MLS personnel policing site to ensure optimum coolant performance.
- Savings in excess of £135,000 per annum.
- Elimination of corrosion issues due to poor performance.
- Elimination of re-work due to corrosion from poor performance coolant.
- No skin irritation issues.
- Zero machine downtime due to poor performance coolant.
- Waste disposal greatly reduced by approx. 85%.
- Elimination of the use of biocides.
Future Improvements
- Evaluation of mobile coolant filtration units to remove contamination, in order to increase sump life to 30 months.
- Installation of ring main coolant top up systems to keep greater control of coolant concentration across all machines.