TaMek AS, a Norwegian company specializing in aluminum machining, chose Depureco’s RAM OIL T 500 to simplify CNC machine maintenance and handle machining residues.
Cleaning a CNC machine’s coolant sump at TaMek
The challenge: fine chips in CNC sumps
During machining operations, TaMek produces 40–50 metric tons of aluminum chips every year. The finest particles can accumulate at the bottom of the sumps and in the CNC discharge channels, hindering maintenance.
In some cases, deposits occupied up to 70% of the sump volume. TaMek needed a way to reach difficult areas and remove accumulated chips without disrupting routine maintenance.
Accumulated chips and coolant in a CNC machine sump
The solution in numbers
500 L
Machining fluid collection capacity.
8 of 10 CNC sumps
Can be cleaned without emptying the vacuum between machines.
Coolant and chips
Combined collection of coolant and metal chips.
The solution chosen by TaMek
The unit was supplied through Nor-Swiss, Depureco’s distributor in Norway, which documented the application in an article about TaMek.
RAM OIL T 500
This mobile industrial vacuum is designed for machine tool maintenance. The tilting hopper facilitates chip discharge, while the filtration system and discharge pump make it easier to handle the collected coolant.
- Power: 4.3 kW
- Liquid capacity: 500 L
- Solids capacity: 70 L
- Liquid filtration: 150 µm
How coolant and chips are collected and separated
Process overview: suction, chip separation, and filtered coolant discharge
1. Suction: fluid and chips enter the unit through the suction hose.
2. Separation: solids are retained in the dedicated container.
3. Discharge: the pump transfers the filtered coolant, which can be reused if its condition permits.
The benefits for maintenance and production
For TaMek, the main benefits concern maintenance operations and production flexibility:
- Easier access to sump bottoms: lowering the coolant level makes accumulated chips easier to remove.
- Fewer emptying stops: sufficient collection capacity to service several machines before emptying the vacuum.
- Flexible use: the mobile unit can be moved between workstations across the facility.
- Filtration during CNC operation: coolant can be filtered while the machines continue running.
Cleaning in the briquetting area
TaMek uses a separate briquetting system to compact aluminum chips and recover some of the coolant retained in them. The Depureco vacuum is also used to clean the surrounding area.
Aluminum briquettes produced from machining chips
Improve CNC machine maintenance
Production facilities have different requirements depending on the materials processed, equipment used, and maintenance schedules. Depureco offers industrial vacuum solutions suited to different machining applications.
