Coolant Filtering System Delivers A Clutch Performance  04/01/08
Sludge and grit in contaminated coolant can build up in the moving parts of machine tools and increase component wear, adversely impacting productivity. Faced with rising maintenance costs and increased machine downtime, this manufacturer of automotive components found a solution in a coolant cleaning system developed by Mayfran International.

Introducing Partners In THINC  08/01/07
Okuma's Larry Schwartz explains the philosophy that led to the creation of the Partners in THINC facility where leading companies have teamed to creatively problem solve and develop solutions for the manufacturing industry.

24/7 Coolant Monitoring And Internet Reporting  01/01/07
This coolant monitoring system automatically adds chemicals to maintain recommended composition. It also automatically stores coolant data and offers shops access to customized reports at a password-protected web portal.

'Lights-Out' With A Lighter Commitment  12/01/06
For this integrated flexible pallet cell, the machines and the pallet system came from different suppliers. The shop is not locked into any supplier for adding machining centers later.

Machining Centers Create Special Chip Conveying Requirements  10/01/06
The capability of cells of machining centers to perform a variety of functions in one location can boost productivity. As a component of lean manufacturing, these flexible systems may reduce the number of times parts are touched during a series of machining processes. However, the overall efficiency of these cells can suffer because of inefficient chip conveyance and coolant management systems.

Toward More Seamless MQL  08/28/06
One of the small perils of a new technology is that it often involves new steps or new considerations that present special opportunities for error. Minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) is a technology that exemplifies this point.

Alcohol-Based Coolant Offers Environmentally Friendly Machining  07/01/06
This micro-volume coolant delivery system uses ethanol as the cooling medium for non-ferrous workpieces. The ethanol evaporates after it cools the cutting tool, so no residue is left behind on machined workpieces.

Near-Dry Machining Tackles Large-Diameter Work  07/01/06
Tru-Cut Manufacturing's foray into near-dry cutting began approximately 5 years ago. At that time, the masonry drill bit producer based in Cary, Illinois implemented the Accu-Lube line of lubricants and equipment from ITW Rocol (Glenview, Illinois) to achieve safer, more profitable metalworking operations.

Effective Filtration Adds Machining Hours  06/01/06


A New Approach To Critical Fluid Maintenance  05/01/06
Today, viscosity can be measured precisely by a sensor device that is immersed directly under a stream of fluid or mounted in the fluid tank or pipeline. In simplified terms, the sensor uses sound waves that lose energy when emitted along surfaces of a quartz crystal in contact with the fluid.

Machining Composites By Conventional Means  12/01/05
Composites machining is dusty, messy and hard on tools. But this company accepts these difficulties, and machines the material using standard metalworking processes and equipment.

The Incentive Effect  08/01/05
The Future of Machining - 2005 It's not just changes in machining challenges that matter. Changes in cost analysis and business arrangements are also driving the introduction of new tools.

Coolant Change Eliminates Foul Odors  06/01/05
Coolants are often problematic for many companies, even in cooler environments. For companies situated in warm, humid climates, problems with sump life, coolant odor, dermatitis and rust can be especially difficult to combat.

Don't Overlook Tank Cleanout  06/01/05
When recharging metalworking fluids, a thorough tank cleanout should be performed so contaminants in the tank don't deteriorate the fresh fluid. Here is a ten-step procedure for doing so.

Synthetic Coolant Shines In Shop-Wide Applications  02/01/05
Because of its multiple workpiece materials and machining applications, TNS has been searching for one coolant that can be used in all machines requiring a water-soluble fluid. Over the years, the shop has tried soluble oils, semi-synthetics and synthetics. In its experience, none of these products was entirely satisfactory.

Pump/Filter Unit Exemplifies Lean Manufacturing  01/01/05
CSI Manufacturing (Southboro, Massachusetts) is a Swiss CNC screw machine shop specializing in high precision components for fluid controls, aerospace, weapons and telecommunication devices. These products are fabricated from metals such as steel, brass and aluminum.

Treatment System Extends The Life Of Cutting Fluids  01/01/05
This company machines materials such as aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, cast iron and plastic. The company reports that, although the machine performs well, maintaining clean and odor-free cutting fluid can become problematic with continued use.

Understanding MQL  01/01/05
Minimum quantity lubricant can save money, improve tool life and improve the part finish. But it may involve changes to both the equipment and the processing strategy.

Cryogenic Hard Turning  11/01/04
Liquid nitrogen insert cooling extends insert life and allows greater use of low-cost ceramic inserts for hard turning operations.

New Cutting Fluids Improve Part Finishes, Surface Speeds And More  09/01/04
After switching to a new cutting fluid, this company not only realized the change provided better parts finishing, but also longer fluid life, which saved the company money.

Cutting Tool Manufacturer Maximizes Technology To Create A Niche  06/02/04
After purchasing two grinders and a filter system, the company has been able to produce consistent, close tolerance tooling.

The Right Water Chemistry: Understanding The Aqueous Influence Upon Metalworking  01/25/04
MMS Online Web Exclusive: The performance of coolants and other water-soluble metalworking fluids depends on the quality of the water in the solution. Many variables must be controlled to ensure that this water meets the grade.

Get The Smell Out-Extend Coolant Life  12/23/03
In many metalworking shops, the useful life of coolant is cut short by offensive odors.

What A Difference The Water Makes  12/23/03
Water quality has a significant effect on the performance of water-based metalworking fluids. This article makes recommendations for managers of coolant systems and identifies specific values to reach for critical water quality variables.

Solution To Scrap Is In The Fluid  12/15/03
Fairris Dean is machining division manager at Ward Corporation, a supplier of aluminum parts and components to the automotive, marine, motorcycle, recreational equipment and heavy truck industries.

Coolant Refresher Helps Precision Machine Shop Reduce Cleanup Costs And Enhance  11/01/03
For this Cleveland-based shop, proper disposal of their coolant was proving to be an even bigger issue than shortened coolant life.

Machining Dry Is Worth A Try  10/01/03
Reducing cutting fluid use offers the chance for considerable cost savings. Tool life may even improve.

Doing Away With Coolant Disposal  09/15/03
This shop installed a series of improvements that eliminated spent coolant waste.

Fixing Smelly Corroding Coolant Sumps Pays Off For Injection Mold Maker  05/15/03
As this company grew and the machine shop expanded, odor and corrosion started to gain the upper hand.

The Cost Impact Of Coated Tools  05/15/03
By slowing the rate of tool wear, coatings for cutting tools can realize payback by extending the tool's useful life.

Coolant Considerations For Medical Machining  04/15/03
While the proprietary nature of the actual metalworking processes used for making 'body parts' tends to be more mystique than technique, there are some things to think about for shops that are looking to do this kind of work.

Near Dry Machining Means Improvements For Roof Rack Manufacturer  04/15/03
These lubrication systems have increased this manufacturer's tool life by at least three times.

Maintaining Constant Coolant Concentration  01/15/03
In some machining situations, variations in coolant concentration can affect surface finish, part-to-part consistency...even the useful life of the coolant and cutting tools.

Coolant Solves Odor And Dermatitis Problems  06/15/02
Unfortunately, along with this shop's successful growth rate came some new problems, the same problems experienced by many other companies: coolant odor, dermatitis outbreaks and rust.

Coolant Delivery System Clears The Air For Specialty Manufacturer  05/15/02
According to this shop owner, this coolant delivery system met his objective of minimizing coolant usage while reducing or eliminating the misting problem.

Machine Tool Coolant Racing To Save Time And Improve Quality  12/15/01
As a former racecar driver, Jon Horgas is well aware that raw horsepower alone does not guarantee victory, and the fastest car does not always finish first. It takes a combination of finely tuned aerodynamics and suspension, fuel mixtures and gear ratios, driver skills and experience, a top-notch pit crew, tire composition, high quality components, and luck.

Coolant Nozzle Hits The Spot  07/15/01
As everyone knows, flood coolant doesn't do much good if the coolant stream isn't aimed adequately at the point where the cutting tool is removing metal.

A Separator Solves The Tramp Oil Problem  06/01/01
With their strong attention to routine housekeeping, it's not surprising that this shop carefully researched all methods for removing tramp oil from coolant in machine sumps. If tramp oil is allowed to build up in the coolant, the resulting shop odor, smoke generation and unpleasant conditions for the operators will quickly undermine all efforts to keep a clean shop and maintain an optimum working environment.

Eliminating Contaminants In Coolant Management System  04/15/01
Just over 2 years ago the owners of Wanner Engineering made the investment decision to purchase highly automated machining systems with special cooling systems.

Where Dry Milling Makes Sense  10/15/00
Liquid coolant offers advantages unrelated to temperature. Forced air is the fluid of choice in this shop...but even so, conventional coolant can't be eliminated entirely.

Ozone Provides Solution To Bacteria In Coolants  03/15/99
Bacterial growth in metalworking fluids eventually leads to machine downtime. Furthermore, shop owners and plant managers see an increased cost of purchasing replacement fluids and the disposal of spent fluids.

Oil Skimmer Provides A Smoke-Free Environment And Extends Coolant Life  12/15/98
When Tom Zovko, owner of Z and Z Manufacturing, a producer of hydraulic fittings and special screw machine products, couldn't see across his 15,000 square-foot machine shop, he knew he had a problem.

Solving Coolant Problems Cuts Costs In Half For Alabama Job Shop  06/15/98
This manufacturer is impressed with this semi-synthetic coolant since it found that over the course of a few weeks, no bacteria grew, no odor developed, and no excessive coolant evaporation occurred.

The Fast Track To High Speed Drilling  06/15/98
Drill more productively by making a few strategic changes to the process. Those same changes may also let you drill dry.

Keep Your Coolant In Circulation  05/15/98
Retaining fluid can be good! Coolant recycling saves the shop both purchase and disposal costs. Here is a look at the service provided by one recycling contractor.

Gear Manufacturer Expands Business Through Neo-Synthetic Coolant  10/01/97
his company continually strives for perfection and, in fact, has won several awards for exceptional performance in production gearing. Its prototype gears launched Xerox copiers and helped the moon buggy navigate the surface of the moon.

Low-Pressure Spraying Coolant System Keeps Prototype Shop Out Of The Fog  10/01/97
Imagine a machine, with parts your shop helped to manufacture, traveling on a one-way trip for millions of miles, to land and gather information on another planet. Now, imagine your coolant ruining all that.

Magnetic Particle Filtration For Metalworking Fluids  05/01/97
Super-strong magnets are making this approach to keeping coolant clean a very attractive option.

Lowering Filtration Costs  10/01/95
Coolant filters using materials that can be cleaned and reused are effective and long-lasting and, in the long run, are usually less expensive to use than disposable filter media.

Between Wet Cutting And Dry Is Damp Cutting  
This cutting oil is consumed in ounces per hour, not gallons per minute. You get tool life increases, better finishes and no bad environmental impact. Too good to be true or the future?