Keywords
Citation
(2001), "Shell Adrana achieves 15 per cent greater tool life in tungsten machining operation", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 53 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilt.2001.01853bad.004
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2001, MCB UP Limited
Shell Adrana achieves 15 per cent greater tool life in tungsten machining operation
Shell Adrana achieves 15 per cent greater tool life in tungsten machining operation
Keywords Shell, Tungsten, Machining
Manchester-based M&I Materials Ltd specialises in the manufacture of heavy alloy components for the aircraft industry (see Plate 4). Its machine shop is equipped with nine machines – three of them CNCs – producing in tungsten, which M&I buys in powder form and sinters itself.
Plate 4
Machined components produced by M&I Materials
Machine shop team leader Graham Wilson says the company conducts regular "Adapting to Change" trials to improve the performance of its machining operations and has recently completed an 18-month review that resulted in Shell Adrana E4450 being chosen for all heavy alloy machining.
"We spent a year running different types of carbide with different coatings and when we had achieved the best result we turned our attention to coolants." He says: "We tested five brands in all – a mix of synthetic, semi-synthetic and mineral based coolants and different grades – before selecting Adrana".
Commenting on the decision, Graham says the Adrana gave much improved tool wear during the trials, which has since been confirmed and quantified in over nine months use.
"We now consistently achieve 15 per cent greater tool life with Adrana and we can operate at higher feeds and speeds." He says, adding that operators also prefer Adrana because it does not mist up and is a cleaner, less oily coolant to handle.
He is equally complimentary about Shell's coolant management service which includes regular condition monitoring checks and maintaining stock levels on site saying that service and support for the coolant is excellent.
For more information contact Neil Arden at Shell UK Oil Products Ltd. Tel: +44 (0)161 4994000; E-mail: indcom@ope.shell.com