DS-OCT24-PG22+23_Layout 1 15/10/2024 13:24 Page 1


FEATURE HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS


THE INTELLIGENT FUTURE OF FLUIDS


M


Process fluid management is often little more than an afterthought. But a tighter focus on these fluids could bring multiple benefits to manufacturers, says Rob Garee, global senior director, Fluid Services at Quaker Houghton In the manufacturing of parts for automotive


anufacturers typically have a relentless focus on improving process efficiency. In fact today, manufacturers are even


more laser focused on process efficiency improvements and reducing overall costs. As a result, they are embracing Industry 4.0 initiatives by introducing additional automation and digitisation of processes – essentially doing more with less. The obvious places to implement Industry 4.0


are usually the primary manufacturing systems, but what about the various supporting ancillary systems? These can be rudimentary and manually driven, making them perfect for improvement via digital automation and controls.


22 DESIGN SOLUTIONS OCTOBER 2024


applications, for example, a primary process can be diecasting a precisely formed, high-quality engine block from molten aluminium. The efficiency of the overall diecasting process is highly impacted by the use of die lubricants to facilitate metal flow, optimise wetting and spreading time, or maintain die temperature within a narrow range. While the diecasting process utilises automation and control technology, it’s typical that the ancillary system providing important process aids like die lubricants is entirely manual, without even the most basic forms of automation or control technology. This is pretty ironic for a


manufacturer who intentionally seeks precision, quality and efficiency, and spends significantly on process fluids to maximise these outcomes. The first step for manufacturers in better


understanding the potential for improvement starts with generating data, even on ancillary systems that handle process fluids.


WHY IT MATTERS Data can help manufacturers understand where fluid management processes can be improved, where unnecessary costs are being created, as well as identifying drags on productivity. When process fluids are manually managed, it’s typical to see one or more of these three downstream manufacturing problems: 1. Accelerated wear and tear on tooling – this translates to more machine maintenance, higher tooling replacement costs, and even increased downtime. 2. Reduced quality of finished parts – this translates directly to the manufacturer’s margins – a product that does not meet specific quality targets typically gets downgraded for a lower value application, reworked, or simply scrapped.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60