Metal Stamping Defects

Metal Stamping Defects

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Find out how we helped an automotive stamping plant eliminate the production of defective parts with surface imperfections resulting from highly contaminated lube oil.

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An automotive stamping plant operating large presses to produce body panels was experiencing high surface finish defect scrap. Lubricating oil contamination was causing surface imperfections that would be visible after painting.

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The uncoiler / washer lube oil system was protected by an offline filtration system fitted with stacked disc cellulose media filter inserts (elements). Oil analysis revealed an operating ISO code of 23/19/11. Patch analysis showed cellulose fibers were shedding into the oil from the filter inserts downstream of the filtration system.

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Our experts assessed the situation, and recommended a full system clean-out, lower operating ISO codes, and eliminating cellulose fiber shedding ingression to eliminate defects. The lube oil was transferred to a clean storage tote using a Hy-Pro FCL10 off-line filter cart with 6M (β7[c] > 1000) media element and recirculated to reach an ISO code of 17/13/11. The reservoir, existing off-line filter assembly, and sieve were then cleaned—revealing a high volume of sediment and cellulose fibers. The offline filter systems cellulose stacked disc elements were upgraded to Hy-Pro HP2727L43-6MB pleated glass elements (β7[c] > 1000). Finally, the fluid was returned to the system.

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In less than three weeks, the operating ISO code had decreased further to 17/13/9, eliminating all defects and restoring optimal performance. To verify the results, the stamping plant put another set of the original stacked disc filters back in the off-line filter system and within 15 days the operating ISO code was 23/19/11 again.

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Along with longer filter element life and the useful oil life, our services saved the stamping plant hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.