Vomat Microfiltration

January 28, 2016

Filtration system manufacturer Vomat, Treuen, Germany, supports grinding operations with sophisticated fine filtration technology that contributes to the overall process of producing high quality tools economically, according to a recent news release from oelheld U.S. Inc. When it comes to the filtration of metal coolants, oelheld cautioned tool manufacturers not compromise.

The filtration of metal coolants and lubricants has become an important added value and success factor in tool manufacturing, the company explained. With the demands placed on modern tooling steadily rising, the purity of the cooling lubricant during grinding is crucial for dimensional accuracy and surface quality of milled products.

Optimally cleaned cooling fluids play an important role in tool manufacturing, since chips, wheel wear and other particles can interfere with the grinding process and can catastrophically throw off tight tolerances. Equally important is the constant temperature of the metal coolant fluid throughout the grinding process, since even small variations can alter the expansion of machine components and tool substrates negatively.

This is especially crucial, when it comes to the manufacture of micro tools, oelheld continued.

Said Jan Froehlich, production manager at Vomat: "To ensure high production rates and quality levels and to fully capitalize on every potential for rationalization, Vomat provides powerful filtration systems, despite the compact design and small footprint. With various add-on components, Vomat can tailor individual filtration systems or large plant-wide systems, which can be easily configured and integrated into any given production process."

Vomat systems operate as full-flow filtration systems—they separate dirty and clean oil to 100 percent, oelhed reported. This way, the user only grinds with pure, clean coolant.

In order to keep the filters clean, Vomat technology backwashes the filters on demand. The degree of contamination is determined for each filter element, and when the filter contamination reaches a critical value, the system initiates the backwash automatically. Along with other filter elements, oelheld said the Vomat system ensures a continuous supply of oil with a purity of 3µm to 5µm during the backwash cycle.

In addition, Vomat technology controls coolant temperature accurately in the range of ± 0.2 K.

Related Glossary Terms

  • coolant

    coolant

    Fluid that reduces temperature buildup at the tool/workpiece interface during machining. Normally takes the form of a liquid such as soluble or chemical mixtures (semisynthetic, synthetic) but can be pressurized air or other gas. Because of water’s ability to absorb great quantities of heat, it is widely used as a coolant and vehicle for various cutting compounds, with the water-to-compound ratio varying with the machining task. See cutting fluid; semisynthetic cutting fluid; soluble-oil cutting fluid; synthetic cutting fluid.

  • grinding

    grinding

    Machining operation in which material is removed from the workpiece by a powered abrasive wheel, stone, belt, paste, sheet, compound, slurry, etc. Takes various forms: surface grinding (creates flat and/or squared surfaces); cylindrical grinding (for external cylindrical and tapered shapes, fillets, undercuts, etc.); centerless grinding; chamfering; thread and form grinding; tool and cutter grinding; offhand grinding; lapping and polishing (grinding with extremely fine grits to create ultrasmooth surfaces); honing; and disc grinding.