Metal working fluids real-time management with CastrolERT

Castrol developed Castro SmartControl in collaboration with German control systems experts Tiefenbach, an in-machine real-time condition monitoring systems that ensures users the total control of metal working fluid (MWF) operations.

The management of cutting fluids is indeed a critical support activity in manufacturing operations, but usually requires many manual processes, like sampling, testing, intervention and documentation. These overall represent an inefficient use of time and resources. Castrol then created SmartControl, moving monitoring and management of metalworking fluid to a new level, minimizing errors and maintaining fluids and their performances by integrating Castrol’s advanced XBB MWFs with industry 4.0 technology.

SmartControl continually measures MWF parameters such as concentration, pH level, conductivity, temperature and volume flow. Any variation away from specification triggers an alert to enterprise, production and control IT systems. It does without manual sampling, meaning no loss of time while samples are transported to the lab to be analysed, ensuring at the same time there are no delays on account of reports being sent late. SmartControl even self-cleans and self-calibrates, in order to maintain ongoing accuracy.

Castrol also offers a more advanced version of the system, called SmartControl Auto, that takes an even bigger step forward offering more than condition monitoring of cutting fluids. It can be connected to the central MWF system to fully automate MWF management. It measures all of the same parameters as the standard version in real time, but it can also add water, concentrates or additives as needed based on fluid concentration and pH levels. While keeping fluid condition at their best state possible, SmartControl Auto virtually eradicates the need for traditional, manual intervention, and can eliminate routine tasks entirely. Furthermore, the time taken for conventional sampling and lab analysis to detect and report condition variation is cut to zero.