SFM Technology News

Mann+Hummel GmbH are one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of filtration equipment for both industrial and automotive applications with nearly 9,500 employees operating from 41 locations throughout the world.  To become world market leader, Mann+Hummel is consistently pursuing its programme of innovation and globalisation which form the building blocks for its corporate vision to have “Global Leadership with Filtration in Liquid and Air Systems”.

 

At their facility in Chard, Somerset, Mann+Hummel (UK) Ltd. have been established as the “Centre of excellence for centrifuge technology” this includes the design, development and manufacture.  Centrifugal fluid cleaning does not rely on particles being larger than the holes in media to filter out contaminant from a fluid but instead cleans particles from a fluid by the use of centrifugal force.  Hence, if a particle is more dense than the fluid which it is contaminating, a centrifuge can be used to capture these particles.  There are many applications for this technology ranging from the separation of cream from milk to the separation of soot and wear metals from a Diesel lubricating oil.  It is the latter application where Mann+Hummel have had the most success with this technology to date with the design, development and manufacture of many centrifugal oil cleaners to over 40 leading truck, bus and marine engine manufacturers throughout the world.  Continuous product development requires the regular testing of both new designs, prototypes and production samples for which complex test rigs are required as part of the company’s R&D and product test and verification processes to ensure the products supplied are of the highest quality.

 

With advances in technology the existing test rigs at the Chard facility were becoming outdated and unable to handle some of the more demanding Mann+Hummel test procedures needed to fully evaluate new designs and customer validation programmes.

 

Mann+Hummel approached SFM Technology to help them develop the new generation of test rig equipment as they required an engineering company which could handle both the design of the equipment to M+H’s specification and its manufacture.  SFM was able to meet both requirements and was able to demonstrate an enviable track record in handling advanced engineering turnkey projects.

 

SFM have so far designed and built 3 test rigs, the latest of which is a large test and development facility capable of testing the entire Mann+Hummel (UK) centrifugal oil cleaner product range encompassing many of the verification tests required by the worlds leading engine manufactures for the latest generation of centrifugal oil cleaners both under advanced development or being supplied.

 

Working to M+H’s outline specification provided by Design and Development Manager, Dr Andrew Samways, SFM Technology produced the detailed engineering 3D design model and drawings which were approved by M+H before the rig was manufactured in SFM’s precision engineering facility in Martock, Somerset.

 

The new rig was delivered and commissioned on site at Mann+Hummel’s development laboratory in Chard in late 2005.  Its introduction brings with it a number of benefits including the ability to test, sometimes to destruction, products in line with company standards agreed as agreed with individual customers Design Verification Plans (DVP’s).  The test rig offers a wide range of test conditions to be specified with infinitely variable oil supply pressures of up to 20 bar, oil flow rates up to 160 litre/minute and oil temperature control in the range of 30 to 130^oC being easily configured and maintained through a central control panel design to be easily interfaced to external computer mongering and control software.

  

Commenting on the developing commercial relationship between themselves and SFM, Dr Andrew Samways said, “Our relationship goes back a number of years now and we have increasingly seen the benefits of working with a company which can handle turnkey projects efficiently.  SFM have shown themselves to be particularly adept at problem solving.  This is particularly valuable in the later stages of development where, if the project unexpectedly requires redesign to meet our requirements, these are identified and rectified which avoids us having to undertake more expensive post-production changes”.  He added, “Mann+Hummel (UK) Ltd. work to some of the automotive industries highest Quality Standards such as ISO TS16949 and FORD Q1, we also hold the Environmental Standard ISO 14001.  It is important to us that our suppliers also work to high standards and SFM are very helpful in working with us to solve problems, maintaining regular contact updating me on project progress that allows us to schedule effectively thus saving us time and money”.  Andrew is satisfied to the point where he has now recommended SFM to other M+H facilities within the UK for the design and manufacture of bespoke machinery and test equipment.