Micromag(TM) Extends Life of Coolant, Saves on Consumables


A Texas-based oil and gas company known as an innovator in new technologies and for tight safety and environmental standards recently formed a team to focus on coolant cleanliness as a means to cut costs and increase plant safety and eco-friendliness.

The team's senior engineer lauds the benefits of reducing cycle time and cutting tooling costs. Keeping coolant clean can be a daunting task. As coolant runs through machinery, it naturally picks up metal fines and other scrap. There are a number of ways to filter coolant, yet sludge, the mass of metal fines that result from the manufacturing process, accumulates at the bottom of the tank. Removing sludge from the tank is a laborious, time-consuming and, frankly, distasteful task. After the sludge is removed, it must be collected, transported and dumped. Costs for the process add up quickly: Production stops and old coolant must be removed before cleaning the tank, and the sludge must be loaded, hauled and disposed.

The consequences of dirty coolant are three-fold. One, dirty coolant means additional tooling costs. Dirty coolant leads to shorter tooling life, increased downtime, quality issues, shorter machine-component life and increased machine maintenance. Two, dirty coolant causes safety risks. As metal fines accumulate in coolant, bacteria are drawn to the particles. Once bacteria adhere to the metal particles, the conditions for rapid growth are in place, resulting in noxious odors that can lead to breathing issues. In addition, when bacteria-ridden coolant comes into contact with skin, dermatitis and rashes result. (According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, "The costs of associated with allergic disease are extraordinarily high . . . $3.4 billion on indirect costs, related primarily to lost work productivity.") Three, disposal of coolants or traditional media used to filter coolants is costly and hard on the environment.

As the Texas company's team investigated the issue of coolant cleanliness, they learned of the Micromag(TM), manufactured by Eclipse Magnetics. The compact Micromag uses high-power Neodymium Rare Earth magnets to efficiently remove steel and grinding medium particles, down to sub-micron size, from fluids used in honing, tapping, cutting, grinding and fine finishing. After trying one Micromag, the company put in their order: one Micromag magnetic filter for each of their plant's 27 turning machines. Each magnet pulls out five to ten pounds of metal particles per tank every couple of weeks, adding up to about 20 pounds a month per tank.

Another benefit of the Micromag is that it does not use consumables. The company saves money on items such as paper filters, and less waste ends up in landfills. A bonus: Tooling wears better.

Magnetic Products, Inc. is the Master Agent of Eclipse Products in the United States.

About Magnetic Products, Inc.:

Magnetic Products Inc. (MPI), based in southeastern Michigan, is a worldwide provider of both magnetic and non-magnetic material handling solutions. MPI leads the industry by continuously engineering inventive magnetic equipment and advancing customer education, though significant investments in research and development and proactive product training. For nearly 30 years, MPI has implemented a business model that combines technologically superior equipment with industry-leading customer service. MPI interacts closely with its customers and expands its offerings to meet the changes of a dynamic marketplace. For further information, visit www.mpimagnet.com.

Magnetic Products, Inc.,

P.O. Box 529, 683 Town Center Dr.,

Highland, MI 48357,

248-887-5600,

www.mpimagnet.com,

info@mpimagnet.com

Contact:

Ellen Kominars

P. 248.887.5600 ext. 206

ekominars@mpimagnet.com

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