A global leader in the design and manufacture of tray-sealing machinery and tooling for the food-packaging industry,
Proseal has achieved major environmental gains and cost savings through the implementation of metalworking-fluid best practice and waste management.
With 18 CNC machining centres and turning centres at its main manufacturing facility in Adlington (Cheshire) and with business growing significantly, Proseal recognised a need to better manage its metalworking fluids. Working closely with Knaresborough-based Cardev-Motorex (
www.cardev-motorex.co.uk), the company now has systems that address all the areas of concern that it wanted to tackle; the systems also provide a financial benefit to the business.
Key to addressing Proseal’s concerns was the use of coolant recycling. The used coolant is now processed in a Cardev coolant-cleaning system, which restores it to ‘as new’ condition, allowing it to be re-used in the machine shop. The cleaning process involves initial treatment of the old coolant — stored in a ‘dirty-oil tank’ — with ozone-infused compressed air in order to control any bacterial activity within the fluid.
The next stage is to filter the fluid to a 5µm level to remove any tramp oil. The cleaned coolant is then transferred to a ‘clean-oil tank’, where it is held ready to be distributed to any machine via a network of pipes. The coolant-cleaning system is also linked to a Cardev Smart Mix, which automatically mixes fresh coolant to the correct concentration. These two systems work in tandem, with recycled coolant being used as a priority and new coolant only being mixed when no recycled product is available.
Visual benefits
In addition to the benefits of longer coolant life and reduced top-up rates of Motorex Swisscool 7755 Aero metalworking fluid, Proseal is also achieving improved finishes on machined surfaces. CNC manager Paul Wilson says the company has reduced its consumption of neat metalworking fluid by around 50% as a result of recycling and optimising the fluid used.
“Coolant recycling has become invaluable to us as a business. The benefits from both environmental and financial aspects speak for themselves. We have reduced transportation cost, disposal costs and on-going costs, as we are purchasing less neat metalworking-fluid concentrate.
“We used to send as many as three barrels of old coolant each week for disposal; this requirement has virtually disappeared, as we now recycle most of our coolant. Even when we emptied five sumps recently for a machine move, use of the Cardev system meant we were able to re-use the coolant.
“Moreover, the Motorex Swisscool 7755 Aero fluid is perfect for the mix of work we do. Most of this is aluminium, but we also machine some stainless steel, so we needed a coolant that would work well with both. Furthermore, with the Motorex product we have the benefits of fewer top-ups, reduced evaporation and extended sump life. Now, we only need to empty and clean machine sumps once a year.”
Managing the partnership with Proseal is Cardev-Motorex sales manager Alan Dalton. He says: “Proseal is a perfect example of a customer embracing the total solution for metalworking fluids and recycling. We are supplying a total ‘cradle to grave’ service for all of their metalworking fluids, lubricants and hydraulic oils.
“Our role starts from the initial fill of the machine’s coolant system with Motorex metalworking fluids, through on-going coolant supply and lubrication system maintenance to the recycling of used coolant and swarf. The Cardev fluid management systems that we have in place ensure that every stage of the process is covered; and as the figures are proving, the financial investment made can be quickly repaid — plus the company’s environmental targets are being met.”