October 16, 2013

Ford Reduces Water and Oil Use in Plants Globally with Expansion of Near-Dry Machining Technology


* Ford continues to expand the use of near-dry machining, also known as Minimum Quantity Lubrication or MQL, which considerably reduces water and oil use, and improves plant air quality by eliminating the airborne mist produced by traditional wet machining

* Ford now has six plants in North America, Asia Pacific and Europe that have implemented the MQL process

* MQL replaces the use of large quantities of conventional metal-working fluids and provides the same amount of lubrication with much less environmental waste

As part of its commitment to sustainability, Ford Motor Company has added its dry machining capability to six plants globally – a number that will nearly double in the next few years.

Near-dry machining, also known as Minimum Quantity Lubrication or MQL, is a process that lubricates cutting tools with a fine spray of oil exactly when and where it is needed. In comparison, conventional wet machining floods the part with metal-working fluids, requiring large amounts of fluid to cool and lubricate the tools used to make engines and transmissions.