In two Voswinkel workshops, 33 automatic lathes produce components for hydraulic fittings, couplings and pipe systems. This produces large quantities of chips and cutting oil, which have to be removed or cleaned centrally. Within just three weeks, the existing system for handling these was completely modernized and automated with the Kabelschlepp company and all systems - whether old or new - were networked via a new central control system.

"We wanted to carefully adapt the old system to the new requirements," explains Thomas Stein, Industrial Engineer at Voswinkel. "It was important to us that we received everything from a single source - coordination with other suppliers was also to be handled entirely by Kabelschlepp." In addition to several new conveyors, Voswinkel also decided to invest in a new belt filter system.

In the disposal concept, all chips are fed through a centrifuge, where they are largely freed from adhering oil. The centrifuged chips are then conveyed into the appropriate chip containers.

At Voswinkel, the cutting oil is pre-filtered in the new scraper conveyor and pumped to the central filter system via an integrated lifting station. © Cable drag

The contaminated cutting oil collects in a scraper conveyor. This runs intermittently to ensure sedimentation and to carry as little cutting oil as possible during conveying. The cutting oil is also pre-filtered here and pumped to the central belt filter system via an integrated lifting station, where a purity level of 25 micrometers and a throughput rate of around 250 liters per minute are achieved.

The current 33 machines are supplied from a storage tank via a ring line, which provides the required amount of cutting oil to each individual machine depending on the pressure. If the preset pressure level drops - for example due to a machine's increased cutting oil requirement - the delivery volume is adjusted. The entire process is controlled centrally via the newly supplied control system and runs fully automatically.

The points described above are just a few examples of the fully automated, centrally controlled processes that represent the main advantage of the new system for Voswinkel. "The time required to operate and maintain the system has been significantly reduced since we have been able to monitor and control all components via the central terminal," explains Thomas Stein. as