RO Systems

Hello MWF Mag I am trying to justify the purchase of an R.O. water system for the mixing of coolant for machining.  I would like some information (a case study would do nicely) on how tooling costs reduced when operating a system with pure water. 
Filed Under: 
Maintenance / Condition Monitoring

Anonymous (not verified)

Fri, 2011-03-11 15:12

Dear Reader, The book "Metalworking Fluids" edited by Jerry Byers, discusses the subject of reverse osmosis as a water treatment alternative for metalworking fluids.  Deionizers are also discussed as a lower cost alternative with a higher operating cost.   Reverse osmosis units will require occasional membrane replacement, which can be delayed by installation of pretreatment measures.  The benefits will depend on the water quality before treatment and the type of metalworking fluid used.  The book refers to a case without citation, so I can't help you with that.   The case involved demineralization, and listed savings in soluble oil concentrate, filter media consumption, and incidence of skin irritation.  Also, residue on machines was less, and fluid filtration improved.    As mentioned in the article, having consistent water quality will eliminate a major variable in determining tool life issues, as well as MWF performance. I have no quantitative examples of economic justifications.  So I will ask the other readers and equipment suppliers to help out. -MWF Mag