A BLESSING IN DISGUISE

Replacing tooling and machine covers is a necessary evil for CNC machine shops of all sizes, but many operators may not realize that certain metalworking fluids can shorten the life of these covers. With price tags running into the thousands of dollars, just a single new cover can put a hefty dent in a job shop's profits.

Such was the case at PHB Machining Division (Fairview, PA), which provides precision machining of small and mid-size castings for Motorola, Mack Trucks, Caterpillar and others. The synthetic coolant they used created a build-up on machines, causing a faster breakdown of the machine covers. At the time, the company didn't realize it could increase machine cover life by using a different product.

It wasn't until PHB's coolant vendor announced the discontinuation of the coolant being used that management discovered the difference a new coolant could make. In early 2006, Joe Smart, PHB's manufacturing manager, began searching for a new coolant. He was looking for a fluid that could run efficiently on 60 CNC machines that provided milling, drilling and tapping. Additionally, the new coolant would need to work on various metals, including 380 aluminum, cast iron, steel and Inconel.

After trying several coolants, Smart and his team contacted Houghton International, a provider of metalworking fluids and fluid management consulting, for a trial of its bio-stable Hocut 795-B coolant. After testing this coolant in six machines, PHB found the solution it was looking for.

After running with the bio-stable coolant for a few months, maintenance teams noticed something: not only were the machines experiencing less build-up from coolant use, but the machine covers were lasting longer. "We were going through $100,000 of sheet metal each year to guard the machines," recalls Gregg Workman, one of the CNC maintenance technicians. "Since switching coolants, our normal wear and tear only requires $20,000 of sheet metal annually."

Before switching to a bio-stable coolant, the evaporating water would leave an adhesive film on the covers. This would catch metal chips displaced during machining and slowly destroy the covers. The new coolant gives the covers more lubricity, so they are more durable than in the past. This has helped increase their life, according to Dave Fourspring, PHB machining supervisor. Today, the company spends 80 percent less on replacing machine covers than with the old coolant.

When the plant used the full synthetic coolant, technicians found silicone build-up in machine pumps. The coagulated mixture attracted metal chips, which became imbedded in the build-up. This contributed to less-than-ideal tool life and, after a while, the machines would lock up or crush metal. "Our maintenance group was hard on us for using the old coolant, because it was taking a toll on glass doors and rubber seals," notes Fourspring. "Our tool life was nowhere near as good as it is now running with the new coolant."

And because the new bio-stable coolant runs cleaner through the machines, the maintenance team saves more money on filters because they don't need to change them as frequently.

PLANT-WIDE TRANSFORMATION
After its long-time coolant was discontinued, PHB Machine got much more than it bargained for when it introduced the new coolant to its plant. Following the switch, PHB was able to:

? Reduce spending on machine cover replacements by 75 to 80 percent.

? Initiate a recycling program that helped cut its coolant spend by 75 percent.

? Cut the time spent on recycling coolant by more than 75 percent.

? Increase machine capacity by 40 percent since 2006.

? Create a safer work environment for all employees directly involved in machining operations.

? Reduce the environmental footprint, specifically CO2 emissions, associated with machining operations by maximizing the useful life of the coolant and thereby minimizing usage, disposal and transportation.

PHB and Houghton both strive for leadership positions in their sectors by developing strategic partnerships with clients and suppliers to reduce total operating costs, improve quality, reduce worker exposure and minimize the environmental impact of their activities. Since converting to the new coolant, PHB is already realizing many benefits associated with a cleaner machine tool environment. They also virtually eliminated the need to add dangerous chemicals to control the growth of biological organisms.

The company now realizes that the robust nature of the new coolant provides additional opportunities to reduce total operating costs and minimize the environmental impact of their machining operations. It was time for PHB and Houghton to leverage their internal expertise and strategic partners to maximize the benefits of the conversion to the new metalworking fluid.

GETTING SMART: REDUCE, RECYCLE, REUSE
In order to maximize the useful life of the new coolant and eliminate unnecessary waste, PHB continued using its recycling system. After some time, however, maintenance technicians noticed the coolant was taking on the consistency of a milkshake.

"Our problem was that our recycling system leaked a certain degree of oil, and the skimmer wasn't pulling out the excess oil and dirt effectively," says Workman. "We couldn't afford to throw away coolant. We knew we needed to find a better system." Their system also didn't have the capacity to service the plant's 60 CNC machines and was not recycling clean coolant back to the machines efficiently. The company lost productivity to the downtime required to recycle the coolant.

Smart and his team consulted with Houghton's fluid specialists to find a simple, yet effective, recycling system that could integrate easily with the plant's current operations. Houghton recommended a SmartSkim CoolantLoop recycling system from Universal Separators Inc. (Madison, WI).

PHB worked with sales and technical support personnel from Houghton and Universal Separators to design and integrate coolant recycling technology that would meet the plant's specific requirements. The company installed the new system in June 2007 and subsequently reduced coolant expenditures by 75 percent.

Unlike the old system, which simply aerated contaminated coolant to keep it moving, the new recycling system continuously circulates through an inclined plate oil/water separator and a filtration system. The coolant is processed continuously to remove unwanted contaminants 24/7 until the coolant engineer extracts the recycled fluid and takes it to the machines that need it. "This proved to be the simplest, most low-maintenance system for the job we needed to do," remarks Jerry Rainey, PHB's coolant engineer. "It has increased our central system sump capacity by 200 percent. We always have enough coolant in the machines with it."

This new system also requires less maintenance than its predecessor, adds Rainey. "I can take dirty coolant out of the machines, put it into this new system and walk away. The same coolant maintenance that once took me up to four hours in the old system now takes less than one hour."

Although the company now operates at a 40 percent greater machining capacity than when it adopted the bio-stable coolant, it operates with the same amount of coolant (two to three barrels per month) thanks to the combination of long-lasting fluid and the recycler. "In the 20 years I've been here, we've been through five or six types of coolants and at least two recycling systems," Workman said. "We can now recover more coolant than ever before, and that kind of savings is indispensible."

Smart concludes, "The achievements here could only have been realized through teamwork and shared vision. The supplier team continues to provide the same level of service even through our collaborative efforts and the implementation of the new recycling system. We feel that our partnership and operational improvement have made us a more responsible corporate citizen and better positioned us to gain additional business."

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PHB Machining Division, 8150 W. Ridge Road, Fairview, PA 16415, 814-474-1552, www.phbcorp.com.

Universal Separators, Inc., PO Box 5185, Madison, WI 53705, 1-800-663-2167, www.smartskim.com.

Houghton International, Madison & Van Buren Avenues, PO Box 930, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0930, 610-666-4000, Fax: 610-666-5689, [email protected], www.houghtonintl.com.