Page 37 - Metalforming Magazine April 2022

nozzle or a manifold loaded with a host of spray tips for precise lubricant appli- cation. A robot or cobot can manipu- late the spray nozzle or manifold as a human would, and part-specific pro- grams can be stored for future use.
Metal formers also can improve application use with a roll-coating machine, ideal for many applications as these apply lubricant evenly and thoroughly onto a coil or blank, and minimize lubricant use. Overall, Scope 1 improvements can be linked directly to reduced lubricant use without com- promising production performance.
Improving ESG Scope 2 Emissions
...focuses on reducing general power consumption. The purpose of lubrication is to reduce friction, which can cause unnecessary force or delays in the process when parts stick to dies. The proper lubricant and application enhance both issues and also can help reduce power consumption.
A much-neglected source of power is the use of a pressured air supply via a compressor. The demand for air in plants always comes at a premium and often shops will want to add extra com- pressors. However, this comes at the high cost of power and investment. Again, using the correct lube and dilu- tion ratio, and application process, will minimize the amount of air required.
Also, with regards to Scope 3, when supplying parts to a company that measures its ESG performance, sup- pliers represent their biggest target for improvement. This includes freight, and, again, proper dilution and lubri- cant application can lower these costs. Optimizing dilution ratio means less lube, fewer incoming shipments and less waste hauling.
Reclamation of Lubricants for Additional Savings
Reclaiming lubricants instead of dis- posing makes environmental and eco- nomic sense. Purification systems suit- ed for hydrocarbon oils are known for reducing lubrication requirements by as much as 70 percent while reducing machine downtime. The ideal system
doesn’t use absorbents, rather it relies on the buoyancy of oil droplets, helping eliminate disposal issues to provide a definite ESG improvement.
To begin your journey to GHG improvement, set the baseline and cap- ture important KPIs:
• Required dilution ratio
• Current dilution ratios throughout the facility
• Present lubricant usage via flow meter totalizer
• Cost of mixed lubricant at each machine
• Total water usage
• Energy consumption (kW)
• Freight charges for lubricants
• Waste haul expenses.
No one likes EPA mandates. How-
ever, this new sustainability-reporting mechanism for lubricants presents opportunities to generate new cost sav- ings, while gaining a competitive advantage. MF
www.metalformingmagazine.com
MetalForming/April 2022 35