Carbide Cutting Tools Manufacture

Company Name: Pro Cut Tooling Ltd

Location: Hull (UK)

Eclipse Product Installed: Filtramag FM2.5

Industry: Machine Tools

Process Type: Tool Cutting/Grinding

Our Client

Pro Cut Tooling are a leading manufacturer and refurbisher of carbide cutting tools for woodworking, metal and plastic cutting. The plant operates 24 hours per day. Previous filtration was a 20 micron paper filter on the Walter Helitronic and low intensity magnetic rods fitted into the coolant oil holding tanks on the ANCA machines.

Pro Cut were faced with the challenge of entering the market for tools produced with a “mirror” finish. These high precision tools cost the same to manufacture but can command up to 4 times the selling price of standard finish tools.

The Challenge

Previous filtration was inadequate as anything smaller than 20 micron on the Walter machine continued to be circulated. On the ANCA machines the magnetic rods were ineffective. The low intensity magnets were ineffective with carbide which has only 20% magnetic permeability compared to mild steel. The rods were also positioned in the tank so that most carbide particles bypassed them. It was impossible to achieve the “mirror” finish as re-circulated carbide particles were damaging the surface of the tools.

Carbide particles were also causing other problems, each machine had to be stopped for 2 hours weekly to clean away carbide deposits from the polishing heads and cutting tools. In addition, filters on a demister on the Walter machine required changing on a weekly basis as they became blocked by carbide particles, the cost for this was £30 ($46.8) each time.

Due to the volume of carbide particles each holding tank had to be cleaned out every 6 months resulting in a full day of downtime.

The Solution

Filtramags were fitted to work in conjunction with the existing filtration. Each Filtramag extracts 2 Kg (4.4lbs) of carbide waste each week providing Pro Cut with some major operating benefits.

• Pro Cut achieved the mirror finish required to sell into high precision applications
• Cleaning of the machine is only required once a month instead of weekly
• De-mister filters no longer require changing saving £30 ($46.8) per week
• The estimated coolant life has been extended from 2 to 5 years; it costs £1400 ($2184) per machine to replace coolant
• The holding tank now needs to be cleaned every 18 months instead of 6 months

Find out more about Magnetic Filtration or contact us for more details