Product category:
Lubricants
News Release from: Castrol UK | Subject: Alusol XTH
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 09 October 2002
Coolant keeps machining at high speeds
In the competitive world of subcontract manufacturing every product and every supplier comes under the microscope that is used to drive costs out of the business.
In the competitive world of subcontract manufacturing every product and every supplier comes under the microscope that is used to drive costs out of the business In this case study Castrol responds to a cutting fluid problem with a saving of more than 50% on consumption, representing an estimated annual saving of GBP 18,000
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 10 Dec 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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At RKB Precision Products in Sandy, Bedfordshire, 'slow' is a word that's not often used.
The company offers a one-stop-shop engineering service that includes casting, machining and paint finishing.
Its engineering workshop manufactures specialised filter bodies for a leading supplier to the telecomms industry, producing up to one thousand units per week from extruded 6082 aluminium.
Further reading
Lubrication service has its advantages
Castrol has launched a new customer offer to ensure that its global expertise is available to manufacturing companies whether they operate internationally, nationally or at a single site.
Carecut saves on coolant and cleaning bills
Running two new sliding-head CNC machines at speed with a conventional chlorine-free mineral oil caused PDP Engineering serious overheating problems.
The workshop employs 20 operators and is equipped with horizontal machining centres operating at speeds up to 20,000rev/min on 24/6 shifts.
It is, says engineering manager Steve Pope, the harshest environment imaginable for cutting fluids.
"We don't do slow", he says: "So machines, tools and coolants work to the limit of their performance with very little time for maintenance".
The combination of an expensive coolant, rising consumption and foaming problems that caused flooding in the workshop, prompted a review of the company's current coolant supplier and, during a visit to a major engineering exhibition, RKB's managing director visited a number of other coolant companies, including Castrol.
After considering the options, Castrol and one other leading supplier were selected to run trials on two machines each for a three-month period.
Following an audit of its two machines and the local water supply, Castrol recommended Alusol XTH, a high performance semisynthetic soluble metalworking fluid specially formulated for machining aluminium and its alloys in hard water areas.
Says Steve Pope: "When the results were compared Castrol was the clear winner with its product and service".
"Alusol XTH immediately reduced our coolant consumption and took everything we threw at it during the trial.
And by the end of the three-months it was showing a saving of 50% over the previous coolant".
"We've also worked with Castrol to improve a number of our own housekeeping activities, including recycling and swarf bailing, that have further reduced our coolant costs".
He reports that the foaming problems have been eliminated, making the working environment much cleaner, and says that Castrol has also introduced regular machine checks to maintain peak coolant performance.
He concludes by saying: "We are a very satisfied customer.
Castrol's service has re-affirmed our belief in coolant manufacturers and Alusol XTH has halved our annual coolant bill and taken the pressure off a real problem area".
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