Reduced Coolant Consumption and Zero Disposal in 12 Months.

The end result was a simultaneous reduction in operating costs, a more stable machining process, and a smaller environmental footprint for the plant.

The Challenge

The company specializes in manufacturing parts for automotive air-conditioning systems. Most processes run on CNC turning centers, which require large volumes of coolant. An additional problem was that coolant settled both on the chips and on the finished parts, increasing losses.

Before implementing the system, the client faced several significant problems:

• High coolant consumption — the company used between two and three drums of make-up coolant per month, generating ongoing, high operating costs.
• Deteriorating coolant quality — water-soluble fluids degraded and turned rancid over time, negatively affecting the stability of the machining process.
• Regular disposal of spent fluid — roughly every six months, sometimes more often, spent coolant disposal had to be arranged.
• Scattered machine fleet — machines located in different areas of the plant made it difficult to efficiently manage coolant circulation and service multiple sumps at once.

The client needed a solution that would extend coolant life, reduce consumption, and eliminate the need for regular disposal — without compromising the quality or stability of the production process.

The Solution

After analyzing the production process, PRAB proposed a comprehensive solution consisting of two elements:

• The PRAB Guardian HG-800 coolant recycling system, with a built-in coolant return loop, operating in batch mode with automatic replenishment.
• The PRAB HSC-175 Sump Cleaner, a mobile vacuum unit designed to service machines located in different areas of the production floor.

Key features of the system:

• Centralized coolant management — the system removes tramp oils and contaminants, controls bacterial growth, and maintains proper coolant concentration, all from one location.
• Two-chamber tank — the first chamber separates contaminants and settles solid particles, while the second stores clean coolant ready for reuse.
• Three cleaning methods in one system — sedimentation, filtration, and coalescence work together to ensure high coolant cleanliness and stable operating parameters.
• Continuous coolant circulation — the cleaned fluid is constantly returned to circulation, so it is regularly mixed and never sits stagnant.
• Reduced risk of rancidity — the absence of standing fluid makes it harder for bacteria to grow, preventing coolant quality from deteriorating.
• Constant access to clean coolant — machines run on a stable, properly conditioned fluid, improving the reliability of the machining process.

The biggest change, however, concerned the overall approach to coolant management. Instead of regularly replacing spent fluid, the company began managing it in a closed loop, continuously cleaning and reusing it in production.

Results

The implementation delivered both immediate and long-term benefits:

• Make-up coolant consumption dropped from 2–3 drums per month to one drum or less.
• No hauling away of spent coolant during the first 12 months of the PRAB Guardian HG-800 system’s operation.
• Significantly lower operating costs — reduced coolant purchases and elimination of disposal expenses.
• Smaller environmental footprint — reduced volume of chemical waste leaving the production facility.
• Stable machining quality — thanks to continuous cleaning and mixing, the coolant maintains its working parameters over a longer period.
• Efficient servicing of scattered machines — the mobile PRAB HSC-175 Sump Cleaner enables efficient coolant transfer and cleaning across multiple stations.

Do you have similar challenges on your production line? Get in touch with us — we’ll help you select a solution tailored to the specifics of your facility.