When it comes to cost efficiency, you can improve your profit margins by doing something as simple as recycling coolant.
Proper monitoring and management of coolant systems can also extend the life expectancy of your tools and improve shop floor safety. In this post, our experts here at Dake will explore the concept of coolant recycling and why it can be beneficial to your metalworking business.
As an integral part of metalworking, coolants are designed to disperse heat, lubricate machine components, and flush out metal chips. Some large metalworking facilities can end up spending upwards of $100,000 annually on coolant systems alone.
In order to dispose of coolants, you will have to add the cost of maintenance, haul-away, and sometimes even penalties. A simple way to curb these costs is to recycle coolants instead of dumping them. Read more on regulations laid out by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.
Once a coolant has been used, you can’t just drain it out and pour it back into the system. There are specific treatments and filtration processes that the concentrate must go through in order to be useful again. If you choose to forgo the recycling process before reusing old coolants, you may experience problems.
Used coolants have been significantly reduced in quality. Not only are they less effective at dispersing heat and lubricating machine components, but they can actually go rancid.
When bacteria is present in the coolant substance, it causes the solution to become rancid. You will know if the coolant is rancid by the very distinct odor it gives off. While you can go through a cleaning process with powerful biocides to decontaminate the coolant, it makes sense to not let the solution go rancid in the first place.
Rancid coolants can leave residual oil deposits inside the crevices of your machines. This can eventually lead to costly repairs and perhaps even total machine failure. More importantly, rancid coolant can pose a very serious health hazard to you and your employees.
Dermatitis is the main issue that you should be concerned with when dealing with rancid coolant. Also called eczema, this skin disease results in inflammation of the dermis, itchiness, rashes, and even thickened skin. It may require antibiotics, antihistamines, and steroid creams to treat, and some forms of dermatitis cannot be cured.
By properly dealing with used coolants before they go rancid, you can ensure that your employees remain safe at work.
Installing a coolant recycling system can be very beneficial to your metalworking shop. While some of our machines here at Dake (like the Stationary Mitering Bandsaw Model SE 10 DM) have their own self-contained coolant systems and electric coolant pumps, other machines may need a little bit of outside help.
A centralized coolant recycling system can help to reduce the presence of bacteria and improve the performance of your coolants. These systems often come with an ozone treatment system, coolant concentration control, and a sump cleaner.
The ozone treatment will kill bacteria, the coolant concentration control will monitor the quality of the coolant, and the sump cleaner will filter out sludge and metal shavings.
Here at Dake, we take great pride in our advanced machinery. We offer a wide selection of metalworking machines to suit any size shop or budget. Some even come with their very own self-contained coolant systems, which can help cut down your overhead costs significantly. Let’s take a look.
First on the list are the three Stationary Mitering Bandsaws. Our available models at the present time are the SE 6.5 M, SE 8.5 M, and SE 10 DM. Each machine features a hydraulic controlled down feed that makes sawing metals much easier. Plus, you don’t need to add any extra components to help keep the machine running cool.
Next are the Standard Duty Bandsaw models. Models SE912 and SE712 both have recirculating coolant systems that will run without any outside input. The recirculating system uses misters to consistently cool the inner workings of the machine.
These two machines are ideal for dry and wet sawing applications, and they will not overheat if you need to keep them running.
Finally, machines that have their own coolant systems include the Heavy Duty Bandsaw models JH10W3 and JH10W1. These large capacity sawing machines both feature a flood coolant system.
This type of system provides a steady stream of coolant into the machine allowing it to run high-speed/long-cycle tasks without overheating. It automatically removes metal chips and reduces the chances of damage to the machine. The chips are filtered out and can be disposed of later.
If you have a machine that requires coolant to be added, there are multiple options on the market. A great number of these products will help extend the lifespan of your bandsaw blades and even help prevent rust buildup.
Generally, semi-synthetic coolants are specifically formulated for sawing through ferrous materials like steel and cast iron. For these, we recommend that you use a 20:1 dilution ratio with the solution and water. Coolant solutions with anti-staining and anti-hazing properties are best suited for use with non-ferrous materials such as aluminum and stainless steel. Low odor concentrates also rank high on our list.
At the end of the day, no one knows your shop floor better than you. Choosing a coolant will greatly depend on what kind of materials you most commonly work with and which machines you use.
We love to share our knowledge with our customers. If you want to learn more about our machines that come with coolant systems, get in touch with our team today. Also, if you would like to request a customized metalworking machine for your next big project, we can help with that.
Since we manufacture all of our products right here in our facility, we can accommodate requests for customized machinery. Talk to us today.