Since its acquisition by Bruno Vogelsang in 2007, Verwo AG in Reichenburg, Switzerland, has evolved from a storied craft workshop to one of Europe's most modern and innovative suppliers of high-precision metal parts. In the quest for perfection, the company chose the revolutionary FLUIDLYNX COOLANT fluid management system.
For chip-cutting manufacturing the company uses 21 state-of-the-art CNC lathes and CNC milling centers from leading producers. Verwo's specialists use the machines to make high-precision parts for customers in the valve, semiconductor, and medical device sectors as well as for the energy industry and mechanical engineering. These customers have extremely stringent requirements, some so extreme that every step of a process has to be documented down to the smallest detail. Certain workpieces are even produced according to “copy exactly” specifications. In these cases the entire production process is coordinated with the customer and cannot subsequently be modified in any way.
Cutting fluids are an often underestimated factor in the production process, despite the fact that, perfectly tuned, they can improve surface quality, extend tool lives, increase productivity, and lower costs. But cutting fluids are also very sensitive media that need to be monitored and kept reliably in balance. Until three years ago the operator of each machine was responsible for the condition of the fluid, which they regularly measured manually. This tied up valuable capacity and was very costly. Documentation also took up a lot of time and, like any human activity, was prone to errors. The case for automating fluid management was clear. The company reached out to various manufacturers. The proposal from MOTOREX with its proprietary FLUIDLYNX system soon emerged as the most technologically advanced. MOTOREX's know-how as a lubricant producer and its consulting capabilities were also persuasive.
The first step was installing four COOLANT BOXES. One of the system's major advantages is that it can be installed without halting production. It doesn't take up a lot of room and requires only one power, water, and compressed air connection. The fluid control circuit depends on two small plastic hoses (feed and return line). This allows each COOLANT BOX to autonomously monitor and supply up to six machining centers. FLUIDLYNX measures not only the two most important parameters for a watermiscible cutting fluid – pH and concentration – but also temperature and electrical conductivity. But the system's key feature is that it not only measures these values, but also maintains the prescribed concentration on its own. By automatically adjusting concentration and tank fill level it enhances process reliability, economy, availability, productivity, and quality. Consistency in operation enables Verwo to conserve fluid concentrate and cut operating costs while extending the life of the emulsion. This in turn automatically results in lower disposal costs. Significantly improved working conditions for employees and for the environment are also highly gratifying.
Measuring continuously, FLUIDLYNX logs all values in the background, making them available online at any time. The recorded data can either be fed into the company's own IT systems, stored in the cloud, or also archived locally on the FLUIDLYNX. This is a key factor in Verwo's quality management process. The measured values no longer need to be recorded manually but are always available in digital form for analysis or documentation. At the same time, a secure baseline is established in real time, allowing rapid intervention in the event of variances. The system is also capable of pushing the data to any smartphone through an app. Verwo is no newcomer to the digital world. All relevant production data are visualized using specialized software and available 24/7 to all employees.
For Verwo, a partnership built on trust is at least as important as the technical parameters. Martin Struger, head of production for Verwo, is an ardent champion of the collaboration with MOTOREX. “The collaboration is friction-free and 100 % reliable. That's why, at MOTOREX's suggestion, we have handed over responsibility for our FLUIDLYNX systems to our apprentices.” The junior staff oversee all functions, supply operating fluids, take care of required maintenance work, and stay in constant contact with MOTOREX. This keeps them actively involved in the manufacturing process, where they make a valuable contribution to the company's success.
Founded in 1889 as Verzinkerei Wolfhausen, Verwo AG is now among the most innovative suppliers of parts for technologically complex industrial products. Some 300 employees in Switzerland and the Czech Republic manufacture high-precision metal components or even complete systems. Since 2008, moreover, Verwo has supplied Swiss Post with more than 20,000 mailboxes. With its core competency in the machining of high-alloy stainless steels, it has landed a contract with a leading vacuum technology provider for the manufacture of tens of thousands of valves per year. The success story continues.
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