Being that EXAIR is a manufacturing plant, we also have CNC equipment that utilizes coolant to reduce tool wear. The downtime for cleaning and replacing the coolant was too long. To speed things up, as time is money, EXAIR created a system to clean the coolant and replace it back into the sump. I want to share the features and benefits that we see in using our EXAIR Chip Trapper.
One of the biggest issues with coolants is the breakdown of the fluid. This can be caused by bacterial growth, tramp oils, and a lack of filtration. Since we began using our Chip Trapper System in our machining area, we’ve seen some great improvements. I spoke with our lead machinist, and he gave me the following points:
- The complete coolant change-out went from every 4 months to once a year.
- Reduced the number of barrels of coolant concentrate from 10 barrels to 4 barrels per year. Roughly $5,000 in annual savings
- Bacterial growth is dramatically reduced as the Chip Trapper aerates the coolant.
- Filter bags will remove the chip fines and tramp oils, keeping the coolant fresh.
- The time to get the CNC machines back to operational status and making parts went from 2 hours to ½ hour.
CNC machines now come with spindle coolant features. This new technology helps with the need to increase speeds and feed rates. The coolant is pumped to the top of the machine and fed directly through the spindle. This type of spindle uses a rotary union, which keeps the coolant in the spindle while spinning at a high rate of speed. The rotary union is very expensive and costly to replace. They are very susceptible to dirty coolant. If a seal within the rotary union begins to leak inside the machine, you will not be able to diagnose the problem until the machine fails. The Chip Trapper will help reduce this chance and keep your machine from incurring extreme expenses.
The unique feature of the Chip Trapper is the vacuum pump. The vacuum units do not have any moving parts, so they are maintenance-free, quiet, and long-lasting. Without electric motors, the operator will be safe from electrical shock. They only require compressed air to operate. We offer two types: the Chip Trapper System and the High Lift Chip Trapper System. The Chip Trapper System is a great tool for coolant sumps on the floor level. The High Lift Chip Trapper System has a bit more power to draw in liquid from sumps below floor level and for fluids with higher viscosity.
EXAIR has three different volumes to select. We have 30 gallon (113 L), 55 gallon (208 L), and 110 gallon (416 L) drums. The system comes complete with a drum dolly, a 20 foot compressed air line, a shut-off valve, a chip wand, two 5 micron washable filter bags, and a vacuum hose. The filter bags can be replaced with ones of a different micron to increase efficiency or filter life. We have 1-micron, 25-micron, 100-micron, and 200-micron filter bags. If you are not sure which would work best for your coolant, EXAIR does offer a sample pack that will include one of each micron rating, model 901060-SP. And if it gets really messy in the machine shop, you can add a Spill Recovery Kit to clean up the liquid off the floor.
If you would like to know more about the EXAIR Chip Trapper System, an Application Engineer will be happy to help you. You can take advantage of the features and benefits that the Chip Trapper provides: ease of use, extended coolant life, no electric motors to fail, and quick change-over.
John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb