CNC Speedwell slashes machining centre’s maintenance downtime and energy use with centralised cooling
CNC Speedwell Ltd, part of the Castings PLC Group, and one of the UK’s largest CNC machine shops, partnered with ICS Cool Energy, an international market leader specialising in complete temperature control solutions for manufacturing process and facilities applications, to transform the cooling of their machining operations.
The Challenge
CNC Speedwell’s two factories in the West Midlands have been dedicated to precision engineering for over two decades, playing a key role in supplying components to leading commercial vehicle OEMs across the UK and Europe. These plants carry out final machining operations on unique and vital components for trucks and buses. Together, they house 124 machining centers, operating 24/7 to meet demanding production schedules.
76 of the multi spindle machines relied on independent chillers for spindle, cutting, and hydraulic cooling. The setup consisted of onboard chillers fitted on the machining centers. In the harsh factory environment, these chillers had a limited lifespan of approximately five years and were vulnerable to breakdowns. This resulted in high maintenance costs and production delays. Even when idle, the chillers constantly consumed significant energy—circa 6-kW per hour—contributing to the overall factory energy costs.
To address these issues, CNC Speedwell approached ICS Cool Energy and decided to use the smaller of the two factories as a test case for the cooling system improvements. The ICS Cool Energy engineering team conducted a detailed energy analysis to determine the cooling requirements and quantify the potential benefits of the proposed solution.
The Solution
To ensure a more robust and reliable cooling operations across the plants, ICS Cool Energy developed a comprehensive cooling system consisting of a ring main running throughout the factory to supply cooling to individual machines from an externally located, centralised plant. This new system featured optimally sized 450kW and 690kW run/standby chillers and pumps to ensure uninterrupted operation even during individual unit failures. Additionally, the team integrated free cooling technology, which leverages natural ambient temperatures to reduce mechanical energy consumption.
The initial test implementation delivered significant energy savings and immediately improved operational reliability. ICS Cool Energy also guaranteed seamless installation around the plant’s continued production schedules, reaffirming their commitment to minimising disruption and maintaining operational continuity.
Encouraged by the results achieved in the first plant, CNC Speedwell expanded the central cooling solution to its larger site. Learning gained from the first installation, CNC Speedwell added additional standout features with the inclusion of a leak detection and fluid filtration to the system. The leak detection is designed to monitor water flow and prevent potential glycol leaks. This feature provided an essential layer of protection for CNC Speedwell’s equipment minimising operational and reliability risks.
Even though the completion of the installation required temporary halts in production, the transition only had to be made once, eliminating recurring disruptions caused by the old chiller failures.
The Result
The centralised cooling system brought transformative improvements to CNC Speedwell’s operations.
The first plant, with a 450kW cooling capacity and the second plant, featuring a 690kW cooling capacity, realised significant annual energy savings, helping CNC Speedwell to save expenditure on energy bills. These savings highlight the efficiency and sustainability benefits delivered by the newly designed, centralised cooling system, which are particularly valued by CNC’s sustainability-conscious end customers.
The energy analysis done by the ICS Cool Energy team, showcasing potential savings and decarbonisation benefits, supported CNC Speedwell in securing grant funding to offset part of the project costs. ICS Cool Energy further ensured seamless integration with ongoing production schedules, minimising disruption and emphasising their commitment to customer satisfaction.
Simon Danvers, facilities manager at CNC Speedwell, said: “Partnering with ICS Cool Energy and tapping into their expertise in process cooling has truly transformed our operations. The centralised cooling system they implemented has drastically cut our maintenance costs and energy bills. The collaboration with ICS was seamless, I had the chance to work hand in glove with their engineers, whose professionalism and expertise were evident throughout the process. Visiting ICS headquarters and other project locations also reinforced their credibility and the thoroughness of their approach. This partnership has not only resolved our operational challenges but also strengthened our commitment to sustainability and innovation.”
Alan Yeoman, project team manager at ICS Cool Energy, added: “This project has been a remarkable journey for us. It highlights the importance of analysis, planning, and coordination to ensure that even complex installations can be carried out without disrupting ongoing production. The immediate benefits observed at the first site gave CNC the confidence to expand the project, reinforcing the value of our solutions in enhancing both productivity and sustainability, and ensuring a successful partnership.”
