The Importance of filtration in metalworking
Industrial filtration in the metalworking industry involves the removal of solids with specific means and if required temperature adjustments by heat-exchanging technologies.
Industrial filtration equipment extracts and transports fluids and chips from metalworking machinery to separate them, clean and treat the fluid, and make it reusable.
A wide range of filtration technologies can be used independently or combined, depending on the need, and can guarantee over 95% of particle retention.
Some of the key benefits of filtration for anyone considering the acquisition or upgrade of metalworking machinery include:
- Notable increases in product quality.
- Significant reductions in machinery maintenance.
- Important savings in spare parts and consumables.
- Compliance with international environmental and safety standards.
Depending on the process, a filtration specialist might recommend the combination of two or more filtration technologies, together with a chip extraction and residue treatment solution.
AUTOMATIC CLEANING SYSTEM
Automatic cleaning filtration is often applied for a high flow rate centralized systems, to serve several machines at once.
This system consists of a drum covered by a special filtering element that holds a large number of particles. Inside the drum, the system has high-pressure injectors for automatic cleaning. Once its surface saturates, the drum spins, and the injectors activate to clean the surface.
Underneath the drum, a drag chain drags the mud filtered by the drum toward the residue disposal.
Some of the main advantages of this system are:
- Null maintenance: thanks to automatic cleaning technology, the filtration element of the drum can last up to one year before the need for replacement.
- High flow rates: equipment with this technology can serve several machines at the same time with a capacity of up to 2500lpm per drum, which can be combined to work in parallel for higher capacities.
- Applicable to a combination of processes with different types of chips and residue, capable of retention down to 50 nominal microns.
BAG FILTER / HIGH-PRESSURE FILTER
The bag filter is a positive type filter. During filtration, a pump forces the fluid through the pores of the filtering element. This creates a gradual reduction of the passage area.
This saturation provokes a pressure difference before and after the filter. This continues until the replacement of the consumable filtering element.
AUTOMATIC GRAVITY FILTER
The most commonly used filtration technology is gravitational deposition. This is a positive filter, in which machining fluids are laid on a filtration bed made of a specific tissue that allows the passage of fluids but retains solid particles down to a specific size. In turn, the retained solids make a bed on top of the mat, adding a layer to the filtration process.
Once the surface becomes saturated, automatic floating sensors that allow for a new layer of tissue to be introduced into the filter, while the used tissue is discarded automatically.
This system can clean up to 2000lpm and can centralize filtration for several machines at the same time, to retain down to 40 nominal microns.
Some advantages include:
- Fully automated
- Low to null maintenance
- Applies to a variety of fluids and types of chips
It has a wide range of applications that include:
- Cutting fluids, water filtering treatments, painting, polishing, or solutions of immersion phosphatized.
- Chemical residue treatment: Useful to keep particles or precipitants from the neutralization of acids or cyanides.
- Tube Mills: retains particles from HF welding, machining, and cutting.
MAGNETIC SEPARATORS
Magnetic separation technologies apply powerful magnets to the passage of fluids to retain solid particles along the way. This is a probabilistic filter, which means it works under a percentual range of retention.
This technology counts on a whirlpool tank that layers the fluid on top of a magnetic roll to improve retention. It is often used as a first stage in a combined filtration process as it tends to retain most particles of relatively large size, down to one magnetizable micron.
This kind of filter includes a means of scratching the surface of the magnets to direct the residues to a nearby tank.
VAPOR AND SMOKE CONDENSER
Many metalworking processes at high temperatures produce vapor and smoke as a residue, which needs to be filtered before they can be released into the atmosphere.
Our gas filter guarantees the most retention of volatile particles and smoke. With exchangeable filtering elements. This filter allows compliance with the highest international quality and health standards. The system also contributes to the general hygiene of the workplace.