Jorgensen EcoFilter Conveyors Improve Chip Filtration

Jorgensen Conveyor and Filtration Solutions has debuted its EcoFilter Conveyor for entry-level and mid-priced turning and machining centers. The company says its patent-pending, self-cleaning design also works on larger, higher-priced machines.

The second-generation EcoFilter utilizes a two-stage metal chip removal and coolant filtration design. A hinged steel belt conveyor handles primary removal of large chips, while a flow-through filtration cell separates fines from coolant in the secondary process. Heavy-duty brushes attached to the bottom side of the belt wipe these fines from the surface of the filter cell, where they flow to the bottom of the conveyor via Jorgensen’s patent-pending CleanCleat. Standard angle cleats on the bottom run of the conveyor belt then scrape the separated fine chips back to the top of the belt for discharge. 

Jorgensen says the EcoFilter offers numerous advantages that can increase productivity and profitability. By reducing the number of chips that migrate to the coolant tank, the system decreases the frequency of tank cleanout and the amount of downtime required for maintenance while improving pump, tooling and coolant life. The environmentally friendly EcoFilter design uses no consumables, and its single-drive design reduces energy consumption. For convenience, “EcoFilter Ready” conveyors are available for field conversion to EcoFilter.

The company says customers report positive results using the EcoFilter Conveyor. One customer’s high-volume operation for machining aluminum parts on a vertical machining center previously saw chips causing frequent issues with coolant tanks and pipes. After installing EcoFilter, the customer was able to enjoy uninterrupted 24-hour/5-days-per-week production.

“The filter cell built into the conveyor has stopped the fines from getting into the tank, and the coolant is no longer foaming up,” the customer says. “This new EcoFilter Conveyor has by far exceeded my expectations. The most problematic machine tool in our shop is now the most hassle-free.”