Article Metaalvak - Testimonial Tools & Dies

The right lubrication solution for every challenge

Tools & Dies has more than 350 years of combined experience in customising moulds and tools. The team works with customers to improve their processes, but also looks at its own production to see how it can be improved. By choosing Bondis as its regular supplier for all lubrication solutions four years ago, it was able to increase productivity, reduce costs and make the working environment more pleasant for operators. The team's knowledge and the strong properties of Q8Oils products proved decisive in this story. Since this year, Bondis has been the exclusive supplier of Q8Oils metal fluids in Belgium.

Within the former Opel factory, Tools & Dies established itself as a typical mould maker. Since its inception in 1974, quality and precision have always been the watchwords in Sint-Job-In-'t-Goor. ‘Today, we work on three pillars,’ explains technical innovation manager Guy Vleugels. "We design and build metalworking moulds. We also provide maintenance and service for moulds, even if we did not manufacture them ourselves. Thirdly, we use our moulds to press products for customers who do not have the necessary capacity themselves, or we supply precision mechanical parts."

Partnerships for total solutions

According to Vleugels, partnerships play a crucial role in this integrated approach. ‘In fact, customers who come to us are not looking for a mould, but a solution to make their product as good as possible. The mould is just one link in the chain; you have to bring together different processes to arrive at a total solution that takes into account the total cost of ownership. And you do that by striving for the highest possible reliability in each of those processes by choosing the right machines and partners.’

Rethinking lubrication solutions

A philosophy that Tools & Dies also applies to its own production process. "In the past, we used a mixture of oils and coolants. This was not a conscious choice, but rather something that had developed organically as we sought new lubricants for specific applications or processes. This made it more difficult to maintain an overview from an operational perspective. What's more, the knowledge was spread across different employees. As a result, we reached our limits in terms of further improving and controlling processes."

The right product for every challenge

Vleugels therefore brought the various suppliers together around the table. ‘I explained our problems and asked them, as specialists in oils, to advise us as best they could on how to achieve a better, less fragmented way of working.’ Bondis took up the gauntlet. ‘Because they can offer a wide range of products,’ Vleugels explains the choice. ‘I have yet to present them with a technical challenge for our issues or those of our customers for which they did not have a suitable solution.’

Excellent support

Vleugels also greatly appreciates the technical support and knowledge of the Bondis team. He cites the example of an employee who had an allergic reaction to one of the products that was previously used. "We had reported this acute problem to every supplier. Bondis immediately came up with a solution and resolved it very quickly. That knowledge and speed of response spoke volumes for us."

Biostable solution

The product that provided the solution is called Q8 Brunel XF741. It is one of the fifteen products that remain at Tools & Dies. ‘A strong all-rounder for the grinding, turning and milling work that is done here,’ says Patrick Overbergh, who is the account manager for Bondis. ‘Especially since it can also be used to machine cast iron,’ Overbergh continues. ‘It is an oil synthesised from natural gas, which gives it different properties, including less chance of mist formation and therefore less harmful to operators. Furthermore, it contains no biocides and the emulsion is particularly biostable. This also minimises the risk of mould and bacteria.’

Cost savings, reliability gains

Vleugels confirms these positive properties. "Bondis provides excellent support for recycling and cleaning the system. This support is crucial for a stable emulsion, and we see the benefits in terms of costs. After all, we now use less oil. This also allows us to introduce higher cutting speeds for the same quality. And the supply and price are also stable. But above all, Bondis has proven itself to be a very reliable partner. We can confidently refer our customers to them when they need a lubrication solution," concludes Vleugels