Doubling Oil Life, Saving $60K a Year
Challenge
A leader in the plastic injection molding industry was experiencing varnish buildup in their machines using a competitor’s hydraulic oil. This caused frequent production downtime, expensive valve replacements (up to $10,000 per valve), and increased oil and labor costs. The customer wanted to reduce varnish, extend the time between oil changes, eliminate the need for machine cleaning, and boost production time.
Solution
After a year of using the new hydraulic oil, the customer’s machine experienced uninterrupted production, no unscheduled downtime, and a significantly lower varnish level (MPC value <5ΔE). By extending the oil change interval, the customer saved $3,000 annually per machine on oil costs. Including reduced valve repairs, labor, and downtime across multiple machines, total savings are estimated at $60,000 annually. This shift has also helped the company adopt a proactive maintenance strategy, further improving efficiency.
Results
After a year of using the new hydraulic oil, the customer’s machine experienced uninterrupted production, no unscheduled downtime, and a significantly lower varnish level (MPC value <5ΔE). By extending the oil change interval, the customer saved $3,000 annually per machine on oil costs. Including reduced valve repairs, labor, and downtime across multiple machines, total savings are estimated at $60,000 annually. This shift has also helped the company adopt a proactive maintenance strategy, further improving efficiency.
Key Takeaways
Eliminated Downtime and Reduced Maintenance Costs: Martin’s specialized hydraulic oil prevented varnish buildup, resulting in uninterrupted production, extended oil change intervals, and significant savings on valve replacements and labor.
Improved Cost Efficiency: By reducing varnish and extending oil life, the customer saved $3,000 per machine annually on oil costs, with total estimated savings of $60,000 across multiple machines.
Enhanced Maintenance Strategy: The switch to a varnish-reducing oil supported a proactive maintenance approach, improving overall machine efficiency and production uptime for the customer.