Brad KuvinLubrication Innovation Abates Waste
July 29, 2024Comments
Heavy-gauge stamping specialist Pentaflex overhauls its die-lubrication strategy, first by reducing the number of lubricants it uses among its numerous high-tonnage presses from six formulations down to two, and then by installing a central, proportional mixing system plumbed to 12 presses.
For the last 2-3 yr., the production team at heavy-metal stamper Pentaflex, Springfield, OH, has worked diligently to reduce the number of die-lubricant formulations it uses throughout its sprawling facility, from six formulations down to just two. More recently, the firm has taken the next step in fine-tuning its lubrication strategy, by installing, early in 2024, a proportional mixing system and then plumbing the system to 12 presses—a combination of high-tonnage mechanical and hydraulic models. The mixing system, a Pro Mix double-recirculation setup engineered and manufactured by Industrial Innovations, has brought a new level of dilution control and automated delivery to each press, which already has paid palpable benefits to the firm.
Says Pentaflex president Ross McGregor:
“Once we successfully narrowed our lubricant use to two formulations, working in partnership with Fuchs Lubricants, the next step became reengineering our process for mixing and delivering lubricant to the presses. Since installing the Pro Mix setup, we’ve documented a 25% reduction in lube consumption. And, it’s become apparent that the plant is much cleaner than before. Operators no longer need to mix their own lube and haul buckets back and forth to fill reservoirs, and there’s no longer partially full buckets sitting around. We’ve eliminated all of those sources of waste.”
Stamping High-Strength Steels, Deep-Drawing Stainless
Much of the stamping performed at Pentaflex fulfills orders from customers in the medium- and heavy-duty truck industry, supplying axle and brake components and subassemblies. The firm’s presses—mechanicals to 1600-ton capacity, including two servomechanical models (330- and 700-ton), and hydraulics to 2300-ton capacity—form high-strength steels ¼ in. and thicker, and deep-draw stainless steels.
“One of our most severe operations,” shares McGregor, “requires our 1600-ton hydraulic press to perform a 10-in. draw of a highly engineered stainless-steel blank to form an exhaust-system component (a catalytic converter housing for class 8 trucks). It requires a four-station operation under one ram, in a transfer die, and lubrication obviously plays a critical role in that operation, as it does in nearly every tool we run.”
Taking over operational control of the Pro Mix system is Industrial Innovations’ top-of-the-line CPM-5 automatic lubricant-controls package. It provides Pentaflex with digital control of dilution, and ultrasonic tank-level monitoring with high- and low-level alarms. Also included are digital pressure sensors with high- and low-pressure switch monitoring, and the ability to monitor the amount of water and lube consumed in gal/min.
