Liquid separator keeps pumps dry

CNC machining

Annina Schopen, 25.07.2023, 16:00

Liquid separator keeps pumps dry

Vacuum clamping minimizes distortion and enables five sides to be machined in one clamping operation. The use of cooling lubricants poses a challenge: If they get into the vacuum generator, they can cause serious damage.

Schmalz has developed the NLS liquid separator to reliably separate sucked-in liquid, dirt and chips beforehand. Located between the pump and clamping device, it is integrated into the machine control system via a network module. This means that the specialist can operate the NLS directly via the milling machine's HMI module. The solution works with two chambers. There is a permanent vacuum in the upper chamber. The valve to the lower chamber is open from the start and the liquid collects there. When the lower chamber is full, the valve is closed by overpressure and the lower chamber is emptied. The collected cooling lubricant can then automatically flow back into the machine process via a hose. The system permanently monitors the fill level and - with the help of a digital switch with IO-Link function - the vacuum, thus ensuring clamping during machining. In this way, the NLS ensures that the pump can constantly maintain a high vacuum level in the system, even during long running times. The NLS is the more compact successor to the Vacuum Operation Center VOC.

This article appeared in issue 6/23

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