SmartControl is Castrol’s automated fluid condition monitoring solution for metalworking fluids. The system provides real-time measurement of the vital metalworking fluid parameters.
Meeting the future challenge of continually reducing CO₂ emissions and increasing engine efficiency will require a step change in the precision manufacturing of engine parts. As a result, Gehring and Castrol will be working together on integrating SmartControl into Gehring’s machines and its machine data platform, Gehring Core. The move should enable greater process stability, increased efficiency in fluid use and machine operations, as well as greater tool life and improved quality, reports the company.
Andreas Osbar, board member, BP Europa SE, and sales director for Lubricants Industrial Europe, says: “This co-operation marks an important milestone in our journey to become the market leader in integrated product and service solutions for the manufacturing industry. Through digitising the cutting-fluid monitoring process we will remove manual workload, optimise coolant consumption and improve the level of control for customers. I’m also confident that having SmartControl inside of Gehring honing machines will demonstrate the stability of our XBB product range.”
Dr Sebastian Schöning, CEO of the Gehring Group, adds: “The partnership is a perfect example of how digitalisation should work: facilitating everyday production and opening up new possibilities. Castrol’s SmartControl, together with our Core platform, gives manufacturers straight advantages in performance, quality and cost.”
Gehring and Castrol are already exploring how to increase the efficiency of combustion and engine oil lubrication, by developing new solutions to optimise cylinder-block machining and surface finishing. The surface structure of cylinder blocks has to be perfectly designed to absorb as much engine oil as possible, while maintaining the required friction properties for optimum fuel combustion. This partnership will enable greater precision in manufacturing and open up possibilities for the use of new materials in future engine designs.
