Page 43 - MetalForming August 2014

press brakes and other metalforming and fabricating equipment. Proper performance requires fluids free of contaminants, as well as the ability to stand up to environmental affects—cold temperatures, for example, or higher oil tempera-
tures created when manufacturers push their machines (and their respective pumps) to the limits. Hydraulic circuits are being designed smaller and more tightly sealed than ever before, so hydraulic fluids must last as long as possible.
Sustainable Purchasing Strategy
“Voice” of Stakeholders
Customer Requirements (focus of this study)
Other Stakeholder Requirements (focus on future work)
Develop corporate sustainability strategy • Economic
• Enivironmental
• Social
Develop sustainable sourcing strategy and determine purchasing competitive priorties
Determine requirements for sustainable suppliers
As metalformers seek
to become green and
reduce greenhouse-gas
emissions, they should
seek to use fluids
(hydraulic oils, gear oils,
way oils, etc.) that are
cost competitive and meet higher levels of performance. All roads lead to re-refined fluids. Compared to hydraulic oils and lubricants refined from crude oil, re-refined products cost about the same yet offer signifi- cantly increased oxidation hours.
The end result: Fluids stay in the system longer, a big plus from an environmental perspective. Because of this, we attain a different type of green manufacturing. Uptime is optimized, and we achieve a higher overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). And, when we re-refine the fluid, it’s good for the environment. We estimate that for every 1 million gallons of EcoPower (from Safety-Kleen, the world’s largest oil re- refiner) industrial lubricants used, greenhouse-gas emissions can be reduced by more than 8000 metric tons. That’s equivalent to the car- bon absorbed by more than 200,000 trees for 10 years in an urban environment.
To eco-responsible OEMs and Tier One customers of a small to mid- sized metalformer, adding the use of re-refined industrial lubricants to your company’s sustainability goals and efforts can go a long way toward meeting criteria stated in RFPs (Fig. 2).
And while most other activities that lead to green can create significant added costs and organizational change
management, the switch from a lubri-
cant made from virgin crude oil to an
oil made from re-refined lubricant can be accomplished at comparable cost.
What makes a good lube/hydraulic oil? First and foremost, metalformers must follow the recommendations of their pump manufacturer. Make sure the lube of choice has the approvals required regarding viscosity grade, as well as approval based on the operat- ing environment. Viscosity index is critical, as is oxidation stability hours. This indicates fluid longevity in the system.
Assess and select suppliers
Fig. 2
Monitor and communicate results
Get more info at:
Safety-Kleen (EcoPower) 2600 North Central Expressway
Suite 400
Richardson, TX 75080 972/265-2301 www.ecopoweroil.com/industrial
www.metalformingmagazine.com MetalForming/August 2014 41