AGI Freden cuts electricity costs with Shell Tellus S4 ME24 September 2013

German high-volume injection-moulding specialist AGI Freden is reporting energy efficiency improvements of 4% since becoming the first to trial Shell Tellus S4 ME lubricant on three of its Engel and Ferromatic injection-moulding machines.

The company was already happy with its Shell Tellus S2 M 462, which it had been using for six years, but, when Shell introduced its new top-tier lubricant in 2011, the firm – which accept that it operates at the cutting edge of its trade – decided to go for the opportunity.

AGI Freden also reports a potential for operational cost savings, because the new oil has a lifespan up to four times longer than conventional hydraulic fluids in the Shell range – and it is claimed to prolong equipment life by enhancing hydraulic pump wear protection.

"We were obviously not unhappy with the previous product," comments Dieter Gottschalk, general manager at AGI Freden.

"Six years is remarkable," he continues. "But we have a culture of continuous improvement and we are always keen to identify opportunities that will help us to stay ahead."

And AGI Freden production manager adds: "We were interested in the new oil, because its energy-efficiency characteristics meant that it had the potential to help us reduce our electricity consumption.

"We had already undertaken energy-efficiency initiatives across the site but, with energy costs skyrocketing, we were keen to do more."

According to a global survey by Shell Lubricants into the causes of operational problems in industrial hydraulic systems, most could have been avoided if the operator had selected the most appropriate type and grade of hydraulic fluid – and then performed correct, ongoing fluid maintenance.

Shell's analysis found that 70% of all operational disruptions were due to the condition of the fluid or the fluid being unsuitable for the application.

Mechanical failures caused 10% of the failures and lack of knowledge contributed to another 10%.

Pushing units beyond their recommended operating speed, pressure or volume contributed to 5% of the problems, while the remaining 5% had various causes, including excessive packing friction on hydraulic rams and chatter that prevented the oilways from being sufficiently lubricated.

"There is a keen and increasing worldwide focus on energy efficiency, but unlocking improvements is progressively more difficult at sites that are already highly energy efficient," observes Ahmet Guven, product application specialist at Shell Lubricants.

"That AGI Freden can achieve this by using a state-of-the-art fluid coupled with best-in-class maintenance practices substantiates the key finding of our survey – that the importance of fluid selection and maintenance in hydraulic operations should never be underestimated."

Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Shell UK Oil Products Ltd

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