In machine shops and metalworking industry operations, coolant is used to protect the equipment, limit wear on cutting tools and help to prevent distortion of metal workpieces by flushing the worked area of the metal with coolant.
This is a very effective process, with commercially available coolants being used to flushing away chips and debris while also helping to diffuse heat and prevent wear and tear on equipment. However, the process does create contamination of the coolant, including the oil from the surface of the metal as well as the equipment and debris from cutting and machining processes.
A centralized coolant filtration system for larger machine shops, or even for small shops with daily use of machining centers and systems, is a cost-effective way to extend the life of the coolant. As the cost of replacing the new coolant and disposing of old coolant is a considerable amount of the overhead for a metalworking shop, these systems can easily pay for themselves in a few months of operation.
Automatic Process
A central coolant filtration system can be fully automated to provide a low-maintenance way to continually circulate and filter the coolant from all equipment on the shop floor. With automatic proportioner processes, the correct coolant and water mixture is added to the system to ensure correct mixing rates and levels for all equipment.
In addition, the automated filtration process ensures that no machining or metalworking center or equipment are missed due to human error, which prevents costly downtime when full system flushes are required.
Space and Cost Saving
One centralized coolant filtration system is more cost-effective than multiple smaller or portable systems that have to be manually moved throughout the shop. With the choice of the centralized system, there is also less space required, allowing the shop to maximize production capacity and step up machining centers without concern for access by portable filtration units.