In recent years, SOLVARO (https://www.solvaro.com) GmbH has managed to develop and continuously implement many internal improvement measures. Certification in accordance with the DIN EN ISO 14001 standard is another step for the company which confirms that environmental protection is an integral part of its planning. The comprehensive measures benefit the environment, whilst a reduction in energy consumption and the use of lubricant and the consistent recycling of valuable materials have a positive effect on operating costs.
Recycling energy and scrap
With a fresh look at processes and structures and a new environmental awareness, environmental measures have resulted in significant savings at SOLVARO (https://www.solvaro.com). It takes a great deal of energy to produce perforated metal components such as ventilation grilles for agricultural and construction vehicles. The process from the coil to the deep-drawn part with up to 184,000 holes per square metre requires immense power and lubricant and produces a lot of scrap.
But where powers are applied, energy is also released – and SOLVARO can recycle this energy and thus reduce the amount of heating energy supplied externally by 86%. A ventilation system captures the heat created at the machines and simply distributes it throughout the different halls and buildings.
In the case of sheet metal, which after perforation has an open area of up to 80%, a significant amount of material quite literally falls through the holes. At SOLVARO (https://www.solvaro.com), a computer-controlled metal recycling system collects and sorts all scrap metal, with containers just below the machines capturing the scrap. When a container is full, the recycling system automatically stops the machine, removes the full container underground and replaces it with a new, empty container. Ten different groups of scrap are separated and an unbelievable 3.29 million kilograms of steel and aluminium scrap recycled fully automatically.
Avoiding rather than disposing of lubricant
Metal forming on this scale wouldn”t be possible without lubricating the metal. But in this situation, less is more, as excessive use is costly and lubricant can end up on the floor. A minimal quantity lubrication system, which pays for itself in just a few years thanks to the oil saved, eliminates any direct contamination in and around production at SOLVARO. The ideal combination of lubrication methods and lubricant not only requires technology, but also know-how. With lots of tests and manager input, the company has managed to reduce the number of oil types used from eleven to three. The result is simplified processes which significantly accelerate the lubrication process.
But as the company explains, the SOLVARO environmental protection plan doesn”t end there. Many additional projects are under way and the company frequently takes a critical look at current processes.