In cooperation with Blaser Swisslube, Sumec AG, a Swiss machine and production system manufacturer based in Niederbipp in the canton of Bern, has carried out a test phase with the Blasocut 201 metalworking fluid and the Liquidtool AutoPilot. The ambitious requirements: universal application, skin compatibility, no foaming, a pleasant odor and, finally, a reduction in coolant and tool costs. All these objectives were achieved. Thanks to the longer service life of the metalworking fluid and a 66% reduction in tool wear, process reliability was maximized and total savings of almost 17.000 Swiss francs was achieved. Sumec and Blaser will continue to intensify their successful cooperation.
Sumec AG at its Niederbipp site in the canton of Bern.
Sumec AG is a second-generation, family-run company specializing in mechanical and plant engineering. Based in Niederbipp, the company has been offering the highest quality and pursuing permanent technical progress in the service of its customers for 40 years. Sumec designs and develops systems, maintains, repairs and adapts machines and production systems and develops them with new pipelines. CNC manufacturing is primarily carried out as part of contract manufacturing for external customers from the railroad technology, food and beverage industries as well as general mechanical engineering. In addition, parts developed in-house for the designed systems are manufactured internally.
In their search for the optimum metalworking fluid solution, the decision-makers at Sumec turned to the experts at Blaser Swisslube. The defined requirements: universal application, skin compatibility, no foaming, a pleasant odor, and a reduction in coolant and tool costs.
After an in-depth analysis of the production processes on-site, Blaser recommended a test with Blasocut 201, a universal and water-miscible mineral oil-based metalworking fluid that is suitable for light and medium machining. The coolant impresses with its mild formulation and excellent rinsing behavior. Thanks to the Blaser Bio concept, Blasocut 201 is particularly gentle on people and the environment. It supports the growth of benign primary bacteria and thus prevents the growth of other, potentially harmful microorganisms – making the use of bactericides a thing of the past. Blasocut 201 was developed for all common applications and materials in contract manufacturing. It offers a high level of protection against staining on aluminum and is suitable for both soft and hard water.
The new metalworking fluid was first tested on a Hermle C42U machine with a tank volume of 1,300 liters. The Liquidtool AutoPilot took care of automatic management and filling, and documentation was carried out digitally in the Liquidtool Manager. Liquidtool is a young technology company that focuses on automatic coolant management and originated from Blaser Swisslube.
Sumec and Blaser will continue to intensify their successful cooperation.
The test phase was a complete success: Blasocut 201 proved its universal applicability. A pleasant odor and good skin compatibility were ensured, and foaming was avoided at the same time. “The longer service life of the coolant enabled us to reduce costs. The tool life was also optimized with a wear reduction of 66%. This led to greater process reliability and a total savings of almost 17,000 Swiss francs,” reports a satisfied Dominik Schneeberger, CEO of Sumec AG. The laboratory analysis of the used emulsion at the end of the test showed that all measured values were within the specified limits.
To further maximize these successes, Sumec and Blaser are aiming for a holistic conversion and expansion of coolant automation. Thomas Flückiger, Business Development Manager at Blaser Swisslube, explains: “The metalworking fluid test with Blasocut 201 has led to significant improvements, cost savings and increased process reliability. To further increase the results, the complete changeover and coolant automation are the next logical steps. Blaser offers comprehensive services including a monitoring concept, laboratory analyses, on-site measurements, meetings and measures to extend tool life – all from a single source. With this expertise, the metalworking fluid becomes a Liquid Tool.”
Fully automated management enables additional savings on coolant consumption. In addition, time is saved when measuring, documenting and tracking, process stability is improved, and metalworking fluid performance is optimized. The fully automatic coolant system can also reduce the number of employee days lost. According to Flückiger, faster cycle times will have the greatest leverage effect on overall costs.
Dominik Schneeberger and Thomas Flückiger emphasize that the goals they have set themselves are a significant increase in machine availability and a sustainable improvement in process reliability.
