Vollmer Keeps It Clean With New VFS 400 Filtration Technology

At the GrindingHub 2024 exhibition, Swabian sharpening specialist VOLLMER launched its new VOLLMER Filtration System 400 (VFS 400). Receiving its world premiere, this new cleaning system simultaneously enables ultra-fine filtration of cooling oil or dielectric fluid from up to two VOLLMER sharpening machines.

The purity of cooling oil or dielectric fluid is critical in the manufacture of cutting tools. It enhances the sharpness of the cutting edges of drills, milling cutters and reamers whilst improving precision, and surface finishes. Furthermore, well-maintained fluid quality prolongs the service life of the machine and its peripheral equipment.

With the VOLLMER Filtration System 400 (VFS 400), Biberach-based sharpening specialist VOLLMER is offering a cleaning system for ultra-fine filtration of cooling oil or dielectric for the first time. Space is saved thanks to the compact design of the VFS 400, as it only requires a small amount of floor space. Depending on the application, it can be connected to one or two grinding machines for circular saws or to a VHybrid 260 grinding and erosion machine. Two VOLLMER machines of the same type that can grind circular saws on tooth faces, tops as well as side angles can be combined in each case. This includes combinations of the VOLLMER CP and CPF 650 machines or the CHC and CHF 840/1300 as an example.

Purity determines precision

The filtration of cooling oil or dielectric is important because even the smallest particles can impair the sharpening process when grinding or eroding tools. With the VFS 400, particles up to 5µm in size can be filtered out. The contaminated cooling oil or dielectric fluid is pumped out of the sharpening machine with the VFS 400 and fed into the dirt tank via a pre-filter. The reusable pre-filter ensures that the main filter has an especially long operating life. A filter pump feeds the cooling oil from the dirt tank to the ultra-fine filtration system. Solids are separated from the liquid in two or optionally four filter units with small filter elements where each filter element has a waste capacity of around 3.5kg.

Simple and robust filter technology

The clean tank can optionally be equipped with a cooling system to set the oil or dielectric fluid to the optimum operating temperature. The filtration capacity when running with two filters is 50 litres per minute and with four filters, it is 100 litres per minute. The VFS 400 has a drainage outlet opening and a fill level indicator with automatic fill level monitoring that simplifies maintenance. In addition, any necessary filter changes are reported to the user via the flow rate indicator.

“With the VFS 400, it is important we can offer simple and robust filter technology with standardised filter elements that keep operating costs low,” says Andreas Böhm, CEO of the VOLLMER Group. “This also includes simple servicing and cleaning access, as well as a modular design that can be easily expanded from one to two machines. Only a hand pallet truck is needed to transport the cleaning system.”