Core competencies

Filtration technology

Filtration: our core competency – your factor of success, thanks to

 // pure cooling lubricant at the tool cutting edge

 // increased finish quality of the machining

 // avoidance of damage to the pump and therefore expensive downtimes

Reversing flow automatic filter

Rückspülbare Automatikfilter

The low-maintenance, reversing flow automatic filter is suitable for full and partial flow filtration of all materials and cooling lubricants.The medium flows through the filter from the outside to the inside, dirt sticks to the outside of the sintered stainless steel braided fabric and falls down. The filter is cleaned automatically by backwashing with air or its own medium. Thanks to different sizes and combinability, both small and very high flow rates can be filtered effectively, in a medium-free and process-safe way.

Cascading filter

Kaskadenfilter

The cascading filter consists of a pre-filter and a fine filter that clean the medium as it passes through. The medium first passes through the coarse pre-filter (mesh density approx. 500 μm) that must be washed from time to time. This forms a filter cake which increases separation efficiency and filter fineness. In a second step, the pre-cleaned medium passes through the fine filter. Purities up to 20 μm can be obtained. The fine filters used are either washable wire mesh elements or exchangeable units (fibreglass). This filter is designed specifically for high flushing capacities.

Exchangeable filter

Wechselfilter

With regard to the acquisition costs, the exchangeable filter in the form of cartridges or bag filters are the cheapest alternative. The filtration capacity generally depends on the medium. Depending on load and contamination, the upkeeps may therefore be quite high. Exactly for this reason, the use of exchangeable filters is avoided for the full or partial flow filtration of the machine tank, they are usually used as pre-filters or secondary filters to protect the pump and other devices. With regard to the filter fineness, the exchangeable filter is very flexible with purities of up to 2 μm.

Our exchangeable filter element – three-times increased surface for maximum filtration

Based on our own innovative strength and competence, we‘ve developed our own filter elements for spin-on filters. The conventional commercially available solutions were unable to meet our expectations in terms of service life and medium purity.The M-Tech spin-on filter element is unique in the compact high-pressure units class. The three times larger filter surface guarantees even greater efficiency – because more filter surface means less cleaning! Not only that, but the wire mesh element is washable and can even be cleaned in an ultrasonic bath. No disposal is required, as is needed with bagfilters for example. That‘s sustainable and also reduces operatingcosts. These filters are standard in the compact coolinglubricant high-pressure filtration solutions.

Benefit from our own developed filter element:

  • High medium purity (40 – 60 μm)
  • Improved service life, less machine downtime
  • Cost savings, increased efficiency
  • No throwing away like with bag filters

 

High-pressure generation

There are different technologies to generate high pressure. Depending on the medium, we distinguish between optimised and not performance-optimised pumps. As we are usually concerned with two cooling media with regard to cooling lubricants, we concentrate on pump technologies which have proven in conjunction with cutting oils and water-based emulsions (minimum oil content of 8 %). In addition to various constant-pump technologies, we offer you four solution approaches depending on the requirements and application in order to improve the efficiency in high-pressure generation as well as to increase process reliability.

Pump typeCommentEfficiency classMax. pressure for oilMedium purity
Piston pumpPerformance-optimised pump, especially for high pressure. High efficiency. Prone to contamination. Requires good filtration.70–95 %300 bar30 µm
Gear pumpPerformance-optimised pump. Wears out faster under high pressure and continuous load. High efficiency. Prone to contamination. Requires good filtration.70–90 %100 bar40–60 µm
Screw pumpPump not prone to contamination, but with a relatively low efficiency. Ideal for up to 80 bar. In case of high pressure, high driving power is required.50–85 %150 bar60–80 μm
Plunger pumpPiston pump principle for very high pressure. Low efficiency. Requires very high driving power and very good filtration.60–85 %1200 bar10–20 µm

Control development

For us, the essential tasks of the control are an intelligent use of the high-pressure system and a stable communication with the machine tool

// in order to implement targets of the machinery directive as well as to identify system faults and thus ensure the safety of the machine and the production process.

// in order to make the production process as energy-efficient as possible thanks to the intelligently designed control possibilities (commands, parameterisation, etc.).

Electric filter contamination indicator

The contamination rate of the filter is measured by means of an integrated differential pressure switch, from a certain value on, an alarm is signaled to the machine.

Controllable service connections

On the machine side, as many free control codes (e.g. M functions) are required as controllable high-pressure service connections are demanded.

Electronic control

Constantly in connection with the machine control, this programmable logic control centre is the brain of the cooling lubricant high-pressure system. It monitors the level in the clean liquid tank, sequentially or jointly activates the high-pressure service connections as required, controls the feed pump, commands the automatic cleaning of the filter and communicates the operating state of the device.

Pressure control (mechanic / electronic)

  • Pressure controller at the high-pressure service connection – the easiest type of pressure control.
  • If a certain tool or turret is to be provided with different pressures freely selectable via the machine program, the combination of several service connections to one or several high-pressure lines into the machine is the preferred variant. The selection is made via free control codes (e.g. M functions) in the machine.
  • A third possibility: Smooth pressure setting directly via the machine program. For this purpose the control of the machine tool must be able to generate the respective commands.

Frequency-controlled drive

In this case the speed of the pump drive motor is changed. The nominal speed can be defined via command from the machine control or simply by a setting on the high-pressure unit. This method serves to adjust the discharge to the machining requirements. This control type comes to its limits in case of small speeds, as the performance of common asynchronous motors noticeably drops in this range.

Chip conveying technology

It is often the case that one and the same machine processes more than one material, producing a wide range of chip types. The ideal solution would be to advance a conveyor suitable for each of these chip types. Our combistream offers you modern conveying technologies for the most diverse chip types. Practice has shown that these three basic concepts are ideal for a large number of applications and machine types. This does not mean, however, that other chip conveying technologies can not be used in exceptional cases.

Basic concept 1

Work space solutions in the form of scraper or hinge belt conveyors with a large cooling lubricant drain above an integrated chip collector are ideal for:

  • high chip volume.
  • as few varying materials and chip types as possible in order to determine the chip conveyor in the best possible way.
  • normal and medium degree of machine contamination due to large and rough chips or readiness for increased dirt tank cleaning in case of very fine materials.
  • average maintenance expenditure of the entire system (cleaning of the machine tank according to degree of contamination, but once a month at the maximum).
Recommended forMaterialChip conveyor
Normal and medium degree of machine contaminationSteels and hard alloys, different chips from long to shortHinge belt conveyor
(BK10)
High degree of machine contaminationBrass, aluminium and other materials producing very fine chipsScraper conveyor
(BK11)

 

 

Basic concept 2

Work space solutions in the form of scraper or hinge belt conveyors with a large cooling lubricant drain feeding directly through a slotted screen into an integrated pre-separator and with automatic chip removal via a scraper conveyor are ideal for:

  • high chip volume.
  • the most diverse range of material and chip types for effective pre-separation.
  • medium machine contamination levels, also and especially from fine and floating chips; this is to increase the intervals between cleaning work on the dirt tanks.
  • average maintenance expenditure of the entire system (cleaning of the machine tank according to degree of contamination, but four times a year at the maximum).
Recommended forMaterialChip conveyor
Medium degree of machine contaminationSteels and hard alloys, different chips from long to short.Hinge belt conveyor
(BK20)

 

Basic concept 3

Workspace solutions in the form of scraper or hinge belt conveyors with a large cooling lubricant drain feeding directly into the machine tank combined with a scraper conveyor for cleaning the tank base (mostly in conjunction with full flow filtration systems) are ideal for:

  • high chip volume.
  • frequently changing materials, diverse chip types which can be removed in the best possible way using basic concept 3.
  • high degree of machine contamination due to fine chips and sludges.
  • specific for brass and aluminium, where required plastics.
  • low maintenance expenditure (cleaning of the machine tank according to degree of contamination, but at the maximum twice a year).
Recommended forMaterialChip conveyor
All materials, all chip types, frequently changing processing.Steels and hard alloys. Very different chips from long to short. Frequent material change.Machine room: Hinge belt conveyor
Dirt tank: Scraper conveyor
(BK30)
Only fine and floating chips.Brass, aluminium and other materials producing very fine chips.Machine room: Scraper conveyor
Dirt tank: Scraper conveyor
(BK31)