New partnership for grinding machine filtration

Chris Boraston, managing director at AGS explains: “We have been importing a wide range of grinding and finishing machinery into the UK for decades and have previously relied upon the choice of the machine builders that specify filtration units for their machines.

“This has worked reasonably well but has proven to be problematic in recent years because either UK-based support was non-existent or if it was, we found it increasingly difficult to get good and fast support.

“This is because most UK-based distributors of filter systems are usually excluded from the purchasing process as filters are mostly bought directly from machine makers; they were therefore highly reluctant to help us when there were problems. For us, exemplary customer support is critical so we needed to find a solution.

“It transpired that Rollomatic, who are our biggest agency and supply many tool grinding machines into the UK, were working closely with Comat and we were given excellent references for their systems. We therefore arranged to visit the works near Milan to understand more about them and were delighted by what we found.”

Comat manufacture super-filtration systems that deliver ≤ 2-3μm filtration quality (making oil cleaner than unused oil as supplied new) and importantly do so throughout the entire working cycle whilst minimising lifetime running costs and maintaining maximum coolant consistency.

Mr Boraston continues: “Importantly for us and for our UK end users, the Comat filter systems use Intelligent Performance Technology that allows them to be remotely monitored in real-time during the manufacturing processes.

“This means customers’ filter systems can be fine-tuned by Comat to ensure that the optimum filtration quality is obtained at all times. Of course, remote diagnostics is part of this and overcomes most of the issues we had with other filter units. Furthermore depending upon the model, the Comat filter units can be monitored, controlled, and optimised by integrated controls or externally by PC, tablets or smartphones.”

Satisfied that not only were these systems amongst the best available and that they had serious advantages in remote monitoring and diagnostic support, combined with lower running costs, AGS was happy to reach agreement with Comat to partner with them in the UK. In fact the company has already made its first few sales in the market.

Today, more than 20,000 machine-tools use Comat filtration fystems, with more than 120,000,000 litres of metalworking oil super-filtered every single day. Comat operates globally and has a 30-year history in developing some of the most advanced filtration systems available.

Comat's Superfiltration Technology uses continuously regenerating filtering media (diatomaceous earth, cellulose or other vegetable media) to ensure that particles larger than ≤ 2-3μm are removed from cutting fluids and the fluid is maintained at a stable desired fixed temperature.

Oil that is filtered by Comat systems does not need to be replaced and many clients report they have never changed the oil for up to 20 years (save top-ups due to oil loss). Main applications for these filter systems include tool grinding on Rollomatic and similar grinding machines and also on turning machines and automatic lathes.

“From small standalone systems that support a single grinding machine or lathe with a capacity of 60 l/minute, up to centralised units that can cater for up to 12 grinding machines or 25 lathes with a capacity of over 1,000 l/minute, Comat has the solutions,” Mr Boraston concludes.

“Cost studies have shown that Comat systems are considerably cheaper to run than other systems that use candles or a series of cartridge type filters whose running costs are up to four times greater.”

Advanced Grinding Solutions www.advancedgrindingsolutions.co.uk