Objective
At Shearline we have been experiencing increasing economic pressures in our metal machining business resulting from Far East low labour rate competition. Further pressures have arisen from essential EC Directives resulting in tightening of legislation concerning toxic components used in our metalworking fluids MWFs and tightening restrictions regarding their disposal MWFs are an integral part of our business they serve to cool and lubricate the machined parts.
It has been calculated that 16 of machining costs are attributed the lubricant. As a result of these pressures the population of metal machining companies currently consisting of 225 000 SMEs in the EU has been reducing by a steady rate of 5 year on year. We will create new cutting edge technology to extend the lives of MWFs by double from typically 12 to 24 months without the need for these toxic chemicals. We will therefore significantly reduce the manufacturing costs associated with MWF use from 16 to a target 8.
This will be achieved through will be the development of new pulsed electric field PEF technology to control the diverse microbial culture found in MWFs which are primarily responsible for reducing the lubricant operational life and an ultrasonic system to effectively homogenize the MWF emulsion and thus increase the stability of the MWF EXTEND will provide a direct benefit to the European metal machining sector increase competitiveness preserve machinists jobs and easing the path to comply with recent and imminent environmental and health and safety EC Directives.
Even with a conservative market penetration EXTEND has the potential to generate exports of 6 65 M p a In addition we envisage new market opportunities for EXTEND to include waste water treatment swimming pool water and pharmaceutical preparations etc.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringtribologylubrication
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processes
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugs
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringsubtractive manufacturing
Call for proposal
FP6-2004-SME-COOP
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Data not availableCoordinator
ELY
United Kingdom