Case Study - Vomat Filtration for Hartmetall UK Ltd
Established in 2003 as an independent distributor of tungsten carbide wear parts, Worcestershire-based Hartmetall UK Ltd. offers an in-house grinding service for cylindrical blanks, to complement the range of rod products they have available.
As the company’s reputation for quality and reliability has grown, a continued investment strategy in the latest technology has been key to increasing capacity and keeping up with an expanding customer base. As part of that strategy, 2014 saw the arrival of a new Rollomatic grinding machine and having already supplied Hartmetall with our SintoGrind coolant for several years, oelheld UK was asked to provided consultation on a suitable Vomat option to serve the new machine. To meet Hartmetall’s high production volumes, strict quality requirements, and to maximise the lifespan of their SintoGrind coolant, a Vomat FA180 with integrated chiller was supplied by oelheld UK Ltd.
The Vomat FA180 uses a full-flow (non-bypass) method of filtration which offers effective filtration down to 3-5 microns, filtering oil to the highest purity class (7 NAS), and making it well suited to grinders working with carbide. In addition, the units feature automated on-demand backflushing and filter cartridge cleaning with 100% separation of clean and dirty oil, minimising drag-out and vastly reducing maintenance requirements.
“Since we acquired the Vomat 8 years ago it hasn’t given us a moment’s bother and we’re very happy with the performance. It’s a really clean system which requires almost no maintenance … and the sludge containment in especially useful - emptying the sludge is now an easy, one-man job”
Another important feature which influenced the original specification was the potential capacity for additional machines and in 2019, following another successful period of growth, Hartmetall acquired a further Rollomatic for the FA180 to serve. Thanks to Vomat’s modular unit design, the new Rollomatic was easily accommodated by a tank extension, some new switch equipment and a new pump installed by the oelheld UK team.
“It’s great to have a UK based point of contact – the service team at oelheld has a really fast response time and we would certainly recommend the Vomat units to other manufacturers” ~ Mark Turton, MD, Hartmetall UK Ltd
In 2021 Hartmetall plans to build on the success of recent years increasing capacity, reducing delivery times and working closely with customers to develop new products, particularly within the medical and aerospace industries. Here at oelheld UK we look forward to continuing to work with Hartmetall and supporting them with their ongoing fluid and filtration requirements.
If you have a tungsten carbide parts requirement, please contact Mark at Hartmetall on 01299 253 882 or via info@hartmetalluk.com, and to find out more about the capabilities of the Vomat units please click here, where you will find system specifications and details of our 2021 Vomat packages offering the best prices, a 12 month extended warranty, and a host of other benefits on all FA120, FA180 and FA240 units purchased in 2021.
oelsmart Tip – If you’re working with carbide it is important to take steps to reduce worker exposure to carbide and avoid cobalt leaching, both of which can cause serious health conditions. You can do this by ensuring your filtration is effective to 3-5microns and is successfully removing carbide particles with an oil test, and by choosing a coolant (such as our SintoGrind or ToolGrind) which contains anti-cobalt leaching additives.