Precision engineering company Drurys Engineering Ltd (an Amcouri Group plc company) have implemented a new centralised swarf processing system from J&S Engineering at their Hitchin base.
Metal machining waste drives up manufacturer’s costs and Drurys was no exception. Through lost cutting fluids, the ongoing expense of swarf storage skips and the valuable floor space they consume, to the reduced metal recycling returns. These challenges add up to a drain on profitability as well as company and environmental resources.
But the solution to these problems is a lot easier and more cost efficient to implement than many companies realise. For Drurys, we were able to offer them an iSwarf50 swarf briquetting machine from our trusted supplier Hocker Polytechnik coupled with a bespoke bin lifter to do just that.
Drurys main requirements for investing in a swarf system were to:
- Reduce expenditure on machining fluids and swarf storage and disposal
- Bring a higher recycling return from the merchant for the aluminium briquettes
- Regain space with the removal of swarf skips
- Fit as part of the long-term corporate sustainability plan of the company.
One of several models in the iSwarf range, this compact briquette machine is designed for briquetting at source but it’s also capable of running as a centralised system for a machine shop floor where space is at a premium. It can achieve throughputs of up to 50 kg/h for aluminium swarf.
The Drurys machine has been commissioned with an extended hopper giving 550 litres of swarf storage into the machine and a bespoke bin lifter manufactured to suit Drurys’ swarf bins.
A second stirring shaft is featured inside the hopper to ensure the quantity of metal chips loaded in at each cycle is reliably fed to prevent tunnelling & bridging.
The bin lifter is custom made to the exact measurements of their swarf bins. This enables staff to wheel the bins directly up to the lifter unit, to be automatically lifted and tipped safely and securely. Subsequently some of the risks associated with the manual handling activity are reduced and overall improvements are made to health and safety in and around the factory shop floor.
Drurys have not only reduced waste but also unlocked new efficiencies, lowered costs, and maximized the value of their metal recycling:
Since the installation of the system in June, 3 tonnes of aluminium swarf were briquetted in July. This has already meant that the swarf storage skips have been removed completely from their factory.
The addition of the iSwarf 50 briquetting system has also contributed to Drurys gaining ISO14001 accreditation – the standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS). A major indicator for both customers & stakeholders alike that the company is committed to reducing their environmental impact & improving their sustainability.
Used coolant reclaimed from the chipped swarf during the briquetting process is drained into a separate storage barrel so it’s available for reuse.
With limited shopfloor space available, this compact, standalone, centralised system has provided the perfect solution to achieve responsible manufacturing goals whilst also providing both environmental & financial benefits.
If any of these benefits sound like something your company is considering, then you can find out more about our swarf briquetting solutions by hitting the link below to get in touch!
