Castrol (one of the world’s leading lubricant brands) and Gehring (a globally operating machine tool company) are working together to incorporate Castrol’s SmartControl, a real-time fluid-condition-monitoring solution, into Gehring’s machine tools. The two companies signed a partnership agreement in 2018.
Gehring (
www.gehring-group.com) is widely recognised as a ‘technology leader’ for honing and laser applications, as well as production technology for electric-vehicle power-trains. However, the company says that meeting the future challenge of continually reducing CO2 emissions and increasing engine efficiency will require a step change in the precision manufacturing of engine parts.
Gehring and Castrol (
www.castrol.com) will be working together on integrating SmartControl into Gehring’s machines and their machine data platform — Gehring Core — with the aim of providing greater process stability, increased efficiency in fluid use and machine operations, as well as greater tool life and improved quality.
Sebastian Schöning, CEO of the Gehring Group, said: “This co-operation is a perfect example of how digitalisation should work — facilitating everyday production and opening up new possibilities.
“Castrol’s SmartControl, together with our easily implemented Core platform, gives manufacturers straight advantages in performance, quality and cost.”
Furthermore, the two companies are currently exploring how to increase the efficiency of combustion and engine oil lubrication, by developing new solutions designed to optimise cylinder-block machining and surface finishing.
Dr Schöning added: “The surface structure of cylinder blocks has to be perfectly designed to absorb as much engine oil as possible, while maintaining the required friction properties for ideal fuel combustion.
“This partnership will enable greater precision in manufacturing and open up new possibilities for the use of new materials in future engine designs.”