Technology Blog
How to Reduce Machine Stoppages and Improve ROI
Machine stoppages due to low or flooded CNC coolant are a costly source of waste and downtime. We know this from experience. One way to put an end to these stoppages is to automate your coolant delivery process, increasing your profit. One more checklist to look at is not the answer.
As part of our series on return on investment (ROI), here’s how automatic coolant refill machines like our FullShop™ Automated Coolant Delivery System maximize ROI by boosting your uptime.
Preventing Stoppages with Coolant Alarms
Not only are your sumps always full at the correct concentration with our FullShop™ system, but they benefit from Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled features that automatically alert you to coolant levels that are too high or too low. These features enable you to resolve issues before they can cause downtime.
For example, in a previous blog post, we explored how this feature made us aware of clogged aluminum chips, trapping coolant inside the machining area of a CNC machine and causing the coolant to slowly drain back to the sump. Instead of experiencing downtime and hundreds of dollars in damages, we were able to intervene—resolving the issue and keeping the spindles spinning.
Now, let’s plug in some numbers.
Let’s say you run a machine shop with 50 CNC machines, and over the course of an average week, 10 machines experience a stoppage lasting roughly 30 minutes. In this scenario, you’re losing precious spindle minutes five hours per week. At $100 per hour, you’re losing out on $500 in revenue weekly—and $26,000 annually.
And what about those of you engaging in lights-out manufacturing? How long does it take to recover when no one is around?
By implementing coolant delivery systems with automatic coolant alarms, you can stay focused on machining and significantly reduce the number of machine stoppages in your shop. Getting those hours of downtime back each week translates to extra profit that your bottom line reflects at the end of the year.
To learn more about our FullShop™ Automated Coolant Delivery System, please visit: www.168mfg.com.
