Manufacturers missing out on aluminium returns
FERCELL Engineering Ltd have discovered a new, efficient waste management solution for aluminium-based swarfs.
Metal chips from computer numerical control (CNC) machining processes, are leading to high volumes of waste material in the industry, which in turn leads to wasted revenue. Meaning a disaster for local industries based within aluminium processing. These type of swarf materials, when disposed of, rather than recycled, result in high costs and are an environmental issue and concern.
Mark Fletcher, MD of Fercell Engineering says: ‘Here is a huge wasted opportunity for manufacturers using aluminium. These swarfs are just seen as a nuisance and are often discarded, when returns on this waste can be reaped back, as well as it has a positive effect on the environment.’
This new way of handling aluminium swarf materials has many benefits including, a reduction of material volume for decreased storage space and transportation costs. Oil and other coolants can be cleaned and separated from the metal swarfs and reused, which again is both cost effective and environmentally friendly. Finally, when swarfs are shredded to the right size before successfully pressed in the briquette machine, the whole process is streamlined.
It’s not only the environmental and monetary aspect that makes recycling aluminium swarfs so appealing, but if aluminium swarfs are left in a factory environment, it poses as a fire hazard. Aluminium swarfs contain high percentages of metallic calcium, iron and magnesium and titanium. Combine this with the oil that it is often processed with and a threat of fire is real.
How does it work?
Shredding alone can reduce the material volume significantly, therefore decreasing the cost of storing or transportation but this is just one part of the process. Metal chips resulting from CNC machine processing leads to high volumes of valuable waste material, which have to be disposed at high costs but highly compacted briquettes can be sold at a much better price to metal recycling companies. So, if manufacturers can firstly shred the swarfs so they are even thinner, then put them through a briquette, the outcome is a sturdy briquette which can much better optimise stock space, has decreased transportation costs and can be sold on by being much more attractive to recycling companies.
In addition, the shredded chips can also be processed via a centrifuge within the briquette press, to reduce the content of oil and emulsion. These expensive coolants such as oil or emulsion can be cleaned and afterwards brought back to the production process. The savings potential for lubricants is up to 95% when using a briquetting press. As a result, briquetting reflects a responsible behaviour concerning health and environment while ultimately saving on costs.
FERCELL is delighted to announce, we are now able to offer the WEIMA WLK4 aluminium shredding and the WEIMA TH800M briquette press for aluminium.