Customer Projects

A large valve manufacturer with 60 CNC machines experiencing frequent delays due to clogged coolant pumps.

Fluid Service Technologies Survey
The quality manager at a large valve manufacturer was in desperate need of machine cleaning. His team no longer had the time or the personnel to regularly perform this task. Because of this, they were experiencing issues with clogged coolant pumps which would cause hours, days, and sometimes weeks of downtime. They were also required to maintain each machine in good standing for their yearly API audits. Without the manpower and a preventative maintenance plan, they felt they were falling short of this standard. The manufacturer looked to FST to develop and implement a preventative maintenance plan designed around a machine cleaning schedule that fit within their production schedules.

The day after the initial phone call, an FST representative was able to perform a complete site audit. With 60 CNC machines in the shop, FST determined they could clean at least five machines on a monthly basis. Every machine would be cleaned at least once per year to get the manufacturer back on schedule for their API audits.

Fluid Service Technologies Process improvements
Result: Within a month of meeting with the FST Sales Representative, the manufacturer was able to implement an annual machine cleaning schedule that not only met their monthly budget but also worked around their production schedule. After several months, FST was ahead of schedule in their machine cleaning and the customer was looking to implement FST at their other branches.

Thanks to FST, the customer was able to get machine cleanings back on schedule and stay under budget.

A longtime FST customer with a division containing a shop of 28 machines.

Fluid Service Technologies Survey
A longtime FST customer had a division in need of help with
their shop of 28 machines. With average sump sizes of 250 gallons,
these machines were having issues with excessive coolant usage and
above average waste. Due to the large number of machines, they
were only able to perform cleanings semi-annually.

An FST representative was able to go in and review the customers
current processes. They found the right recycle unit for their facility and
implemented PRAB Model HG800 coolant recycling system. Using FST’s
pass/fail matrix, the customer was able to process spent fluid through the
recycle unit and properly blend fresh mixture into reclaimed fluid. This
allowed the recycled fluid to be used throughout the shop for daily top off.

Fluid Service Technologies Process improvements
Result: Thanks to FST’s implementation of the recycle unit, the customer
was able to reclaim 9,430 gallons of coolant in their first year, decrease
waste output by over 70% and save $24,842.00 in coolant usage. The
customer reduced manpower with waste processing and transportation,
reduced fuel usage for the evaporator unit, and allowed for a more proactive
machine cleaning schedule

The customer reclaimed 9,430 gallons of coolant, saving almost $25,000 in coolant usage, and decreasing waste output by over 70%.

LARGE DEVELOPER AND MANUFACTURER OF CUTTING AND TRIMMING TOOLS FOR FOOD PROCESSING.

Fluid Service Technologies Survey
A leading developer and manufacturer of cutting and trimming tools for food processing and industrial applications was dealing with several issues with their fluid management. They had trouble maintaining consistent coolant concentration causing tool performance problems and high coolant usage. Additionally some operators were experiencing dermatitis. The organization was also searching for better ways to track inventory, schedule machine cleanings and create more accountability in their fluid control. Additionally, the customer was spending nearly 300 hours per month on machine maintenance. This caused significant machine downtime as well as high labor costs as the machine operators were performing the maintenance.

The customer decided to bring in FST, experts in coolant management, to do a full site analysis. FST found that each individual operator was responsible for their own machine fluid and lubrication monitoring. The site analysis also uncovered inventory control, tracking and fluid maintenance issues. FST’s solution was to have a service technician work on-site to create a fluid management program that would address each of these challenges.

Fluid Service Technologies Process improvements
Result: As part of the Fluid Management Program the customer implemented, FST provided special support on fluid testing to reduce the number of different coolants being used on-site. This consolidation of coolants allowed for additional programs, such as recycling, to be utilized and further reduced the customer’s coolant spend. In addition to the labor savings and coolant consolidation, proper monitoring and maintenance of the
cutting fluid provided them with an additional savings of approximately $9,000 over the first three months.
Along with the Fluid Management Program, FST introduced TechTool™, a proprietary app that brings actionable information and insight to help drive down fluid cost and increase operational effectiveness. With this tool, FST’s service techs logged daily concentration and coolant checks, monitored problem machines, streamlined inventory control and allow for visible reporting and traceability. TechTool™ allowed FST to monitor inventory and schedule machine cleanouts to avoid unplanned machine downtimes as well as effectively monitor coolant concentrations to stop problems from developing ahead of time. After enacting FST’s Fluid Management program, the customer found that FST was able to accomplish more coolant handling functions in less time.

The customer saved $14,493 in labor costs over a three month period by switching to FST’s service program.

LARGE MILITARY HARDWARE MANUFACTURER

Fluid Service Technologies Survey
After a thorough process audit, FST Identified excessive coolant usage, disposal costs, and downtime due to scrapped parts.

Fluid Service Technologies Process improvements
– Coolant concentrate: Reduced usage from 1200 gallons/month to 660 gallons/month. This resulted in $145,200 in annual savings.
– Waste/Disposal: Reduced from 1000 gallons/month to 400 gallon/month. This resulted in $11,304 in annual savings.
– Recycle/Reclaim: FST implimented a coolant recycle/reclaim program that allowed the manufacter to reclaim 900/gallons every month.
–Production/Downtime: Prior to Maintenance360, the manufacturer scrapped six parts every month due to improper coolant maintenance. After Maintenance360 was implimented, scrapped parts and the associated downtime was reduced by 100%. This resulted in $144,000 in annual savings.

In the first twelve months of implementation, Maintenance360 saved the manufacturer over $300,000. 

LARGE HARDWARE MANUFACTURER

Fluid Service Technologies Survey
Identified excessive coolant usage and disposal costs. One production line using more than 3000 gallons of fluid concentrate per month. Additional problems included heavy sludge collection in sumps, high bacterial counts,and poor water quality.

Fluid Service Technologies Recommendation
Installation of fluid recycling system – centrifuge system with pasteurization, and on-site fluid maintenance technicians.

In the first seven months of implementation, reduction in concentrate usage saved the plant $87,000

SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER

Fluid Service Technologies Survey
Production would not let the lines be shut down to allow for the yearly cleaning of the 14 machines. The company estimated that it would take them more than seventy hours to do the job using four maintenance technicians on overtime.

Fluid Service Technologies Recommendation
Contract FST to bring in a crew leader and one technician to clean the fourteen machines in an estimated forty-two hours on four consecutive Sundays.

By working Sundays, the facility was able to shut down 4-5 machines at a time, thus minimizing downtime and lost production. They reported a total cost savings of $2730

OILFIELD DRILL BIT MANUFACTURER

Fluid Service Technologies Survey
During corporate consolidation, two large manufacturing facilities had a combined work force of twelve technicians and a manager tending to all of the chemical processes for a total, recurring monthly expenditure of $70,000.

Fluid Service Technologies Recommendation
FST created a job scope that included 24 hour, seven days a week coverage with six technicians and an on-site manager. FST manages all fluid processes and all industrial janitorial duties in the facility.

By providing full coverage and having on-site management, FST was able to reduce the workforce needed to complete the job scope, as well as a hard cost savings of $31,000 per month.

AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE MANUFACTURER

Fluid Service Technologies Survey
The facility was experiencing coolant failures every two weeks. FST found improper coolant maintenance practices and excessive waste disposal volumes.

Fluid Service Technologies Recommendation
FST will provide a service that includes coolant maintenance and a monthly preventative maintenance machine cleaning schedule.

This program has created a 65% reduction in coolant concentrate & 73% reduction in coolant waste disposal

In addition, working conditions improved significantly by controlling the bacteria growth in the sumps & eliminating foul odors.