Cool,
Henkel’s long-life odourless BONDERITE L-MR cutting fluids for metalworking are giving Husqvarna and the environment a sustainability boost.
An assembled chain saw Husqvarna 550 XP®
Each year, around 8 million individual metal parts are produced at the Husqvarna Group’s hometown location in Sweden for its premium outdoor power tools, which include chainsaws and trimmers. To ensure that both productivity targets and a safe and healthy environment for its workforce are achieved, the Group turned to Henkel’s new generation bactericide-free cutting fluids to provide a smart solution to an increasing bacteria and odor problem during machining. Three years on, the team at Husqvarna endorses Bonderite L-MR as a major sustainability tool for the metal industry.
Computer controlled production: calm, clean, well-organised The Die-casting and Machining department at Husqvarna’s extensive manufacturing facility in Huskvarna, Sweden, is responsible for producing a variety of aluminium and magnesium parts, including crankcases, flywheels, cylinders, oil pumps and clutch covers. It uses key processes such as melting, casting, machining, honing and painting before assembling parts into the final product.
The department is highly automated and includes massive casting machines as well as a significant number of Computerised Numerical Control (CNC) machines. These are driven by computers and – thanks to the use of high precision robotics – they are able to execute a range of necessary drilling and milling activities, controlled by skilled operators.
A major feature of a CNC machine is that it can carry out a number of different
production steps without having to stop/ start the machine. Since some of these steps require the use of a number of different tools (such as drills in different sizes, saws, etc.) multiple tools are mounted into a single machine. The machines work at very high speeds and temperatures, so it is therefore important to use a cutting fluid to provide the necessary cooling and lubrication during the machining.
However, the use of cutting fluids comes with a major issue. Like milk, cutting fluid emulsions will go off over time, especially during inactive periods. Bacteria grow, multiply and die, causing a bad odour. Apart from emitting unpleasant smells, bacterial contamination is also a risk to workers, meaning that it needs to be dealt with. When the smell gets bad, the cutting fluid baths need to be replaced, sometimes as frequently as twice a year, which generates waste and costly downtime.
in action.
are sufficiently cooled and lubricated. This enables us to meet the necessary close tolerances while at the same time giving us the benefits of effective operation and long tool life. Three years ago we decided to stop simply accepting the issues arising from bacterial contamination and to tackle the problem with a more sustainable solution.”
Smart solution: Bonderite L-MR bactericide-free cutting fluid To find a solution, the team at Husqvarna looked beyond in-house know-how to an outside source with expert knowledge; MetallChemie AB, a locally based company with years of metal industry experience and a distributor for Henkel metalworking solutions with many customers throughout Sweden.
Tomas Holmér, owner of MetallChemie, was invited to explore possible solutions. He introduced the bactericide-free Bonderite L-MR; a range of innovative cutting fluids. These new generation bactericide-free fluids have a long bath-life, also because of its high hard water stability – proven in many industrial applications around the world.
Jens Gustafsson, Process Engineer Husqvarna talking to Tomas Holmér, owner of MetallChemie. Tomas make a formal tour at Husqvarna every five weeks – to provide on-the-floor support whenever it is needed and to carry out a range of tests to monitor a number of critical parameters.
Jens Gustafsson, Process Engineer at Husqvarna, explains “Cutting fluid is an essential part of the machining process, as it ensures that tools and work pieces
The Husqvarna team ran a six-month comparative test, evaluating various products and options including the proposed solution of Bonderite L-MR cutting fluid. The Henkel technology performed well and has now been in continuous use for over 30 months.
Jens Gustafsson describes the clear benefits: “Firstly there is a noticeable absence of smell, which is a major step forward. A key health benefit is that we do not have bactericides in our production process. However, the
lubricated and smell-free machining
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LUBE MAGAZINE NO.130 DECEMBER 2015
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