Tramp Oil Separators

Published September 11, 2026. Last updated September 11, 2026.   Fluid Filtration and Coolant Recycling 101 covered why coolant recycling pays for itself. This second entry answers the question that follows: which specific technology, or combination of technologies, best fits your shop? Quick Answer Paper bed filters and magnetic separators are the right fit for small shops or single-machine sumps […]

Published September 9, 2026. Last updated September 15, 2026. Loose metal chips are expensive to haul away, especially when they’re still wet with coolant you’ve already paid for. This is the first entry in our Metal Chip Processing 101 series, designed for plant managers and procurement teams evaluating briquetting and chip-processing equipment. From here, you can explore specific systems, case […]

Published September 9, 2026. Last updated September 9, 2026. Quick Answer Coolant recycling systems recover 95 to 98% of metalworking coolant for reuse by combining particulate filtration, tramp oil separation, and bacterial control in a single system. Facilities typically cut new coolant purchases by 50 to 75% and disposal costs by up to 90%, with return on investment achieved in […]

Published September 4, 2026. Last updated September 4, 2026. Quick Answer Aerospace machining shops working with titanium and other exotic alloys need metal chip processing equipment built for the specific hazards and value of those chips. Titanium chips pose a fire risk and contain machining fluid that must be recovered, and the material is valuable enough that shredding and briquetting […]

Published August 13, 2026. Last updated August 13, 2026. Quick Answer A tramp oil separator is a single-purpose device that removes floating or dispersed hydraulic oil and lubricants from coolant. A coolant recycling system is a complete, multi-stage plant that performs oil removal, then adds particulate filtration, concentration control, and bacteria control so the coolant can be pumped back into […]

Published July 30, 2026  |  Last updated July 30, 2026 Quick Answer: Tramp oil is unwanted hydrocarbon-based oil, such as way lubricant, hydraulic fluid, or rust-preventive coating, that leaks or migrates into metalworking coolant and washwater. It floats, disperses, or emulsifies in the fluid, where it reduces cooling performance, feeds bacterial growth, shortens tool life, and drives up disposal costs. […]

Published July 20, 2026. Last updated July 20, 2026. Quick Answer: A coolant recycling system typically reduces new coolant purchases by 50 to 75 percent and cuts coolant disposal costs by up to 90 percent, while recovering 95 to 98 percent of metalworking coolant for reuse. Most manufacturers see full return on investment within 6 to 18 months, with high-volume […]

Written by Paul Montgomery, Marketing Leader, PRAB, Inc. Reviewed by Mike Proos   |   Published July 2, 2026   |   Last updated July 2, 2026 Quick Answer: A wringer uses centrifugal force to fling cutting fluid off metal chips, recovering fluid that would otherwise leave with the scrap. The recovered fluid is mechanically separated, not chemically cleaned, so it can carry fines […]

PRAB’s Metal Chip Processing Selection Framework is a structured decision tool for metalworking operations selecting between wringers, briquetters, crushers, and centrifuges. The framework aligns three operational variables, scrap volume, metal type, and fluid content, with the equipment configurations that consistently deliver up to 90% scrap volume reduction, up to 98% coolant recovery, and up to 25% increase in scrap resale […]

Metal chip briquetters get a lot of attention, and for good reason. Compressing loose turnings into dense, dry briquettes increases the value of metal scrap, reduces hauling costs, and recovers cutting fluid that would otherwise be lost. Any shop generating significant volumes of aluminum, steel, copper, brass, or cast iron chips should be evaluating briquetting as part of its scrap […]