Oil Skimmer Blog

In today's fast-paced industrial environments, operational efficiency is everything. Yet, a common and often overlooked problem—oil contamination—can quickly derail productivity, compromise part quality, and drive-up maintenance costs.

During parts washing and machining processes, unwanted oil contamination frequently occurs. Without proper management, waste oil can re-contaminate freshly cleaned parts and dramatically shorten coolant life, leading to more frequent fluid replacement, unscheduled maintenance, and even equipment failure.

Ignoring this problem not only impacts operational performance but also adds unnecessary environmental and disposal challenges.

Why Oil Skimming Matters

Oil skimming provides a simple, cost-effective solution to combat oil contamination at its source. By continuously removing floating oils from the surface of process fluids, a well-designed oil skimmer helps maintain fluid integrity, extends coolant and cleaner life, improves part cleanliness, and reduces wastewater treatment demands.

For facilities using parts washers or machining centers, integrating an oil skimmer isn’t just beneficial—it’s a smart preventative maintenance measure that pays for itself over time.

Introducing the Tote-It Oil Skimmer: A Proven Solution

When it comes to choosing an oil skimmer you can rely on, the Tote-It Oil Skimmer stands out. Specifically engineered for industrial environments, the Tote-It is built to withstand the rugged conditions commonly found in parts washers and machining operations.

Whether dealing with fluctuating temperatures, aggressive pH levels, or high particulate loads, the Tote-It maintains consistent, reliable performance day after day.

Key Advantages of the Tote-It Oil Skimmer

✔ Lightweight and Portable
At just 36 lbs., the Tote-It is easily portable, allowing operators to move the unit between tanks, sumps, and machines as needed. This mobility makes it ideal for facilities where multiple stations require periodic oil removal without investing in a skimmer for each one.

✔ Efficient Oil Removal
Using a single oleophilic (oil-attracting) belt, the Tote-It quickly lifts oil from the fluid surface and directs it into a collection container. This simple, yet highly effective mechanism minimizes oil buildup and keeps working fluids cleaner for longer.

✔ No Tank Modifications Required
Designed for flat-mount installation, the Tote-It typically needs no modifications to existing tanks or reservoirs. That means fast, hassle-free deployment without costly downtime or retrofitting.

✔ Handles Fluctuating Liquid Levels
Unlike many other oil removal systems, the Tote-It maintains strong efficiency even when fluid levels rise and fall. This feature is crucial for parts washers and machine sumps where fluid volumes can change during operation or cleaning cycles.

✔ Minimal Maintenance
Built with durability in mind, the Tote-It requires very little maintenance to keep it running smoothly. Routine inspection and occasional belt cleaning are usually all that’s needed, reducing the burden on your maintenance team and keeping your process fluid systems operating optimally.

Long-Term Benefits of Oil Skimming

Implementing an oil skimmer like the Tote-It doesn’t just solve immediate contamination issues—it delivers measurable long-term benefits, including:

• Extended coolant and cleaner life: Reduce the frequency of fluid replacement, lowering operational costs.
• Improved part quality: Clean parts are essential for downstream processes like coating, painting, or assembly.
• Reduced wastewater volume and disposal costs: Cleaner fluids generate less oily waste, easing environmental compliance.
• Less equipment downtime: Cleaner fluids mean less wear, fewer clogs, and longer equipment life.

Oil contamination in parts washing and machining processes is a silent culprit that can cause significant operational headaches. Proactively addressing it with a durable, efficient solution like the Tote-It Oil Skimmer not only protects your operations but also enhances your bottom line.

Don't let oil contamination undermine your hard work. Equip your facility with the right tools to stay cleaner, more efficient, and more productive.

To learn more about oil skimmers, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400 or visit our website: www.abanaki.com

You are just one step away from downloading Abanaki's most detailed resource on our oil skimming equipment. Simply click at the button to get your ultimate guide now.

Recently, a US automotive parts engineering facility contacted Abanaki Corporation about two issues it was having at its plant.

1. Wanting to reduce the high costs of constantly needing to replace its coolant due to oil contamination
2. Removing the oil from the wastewater recovery trenches.

The Tote-It machine center skimmer was the answer. The skimmer is well suited for parts washing and machining center applications. By removing surface oil from a wash tank, the parts will not be recontaminated as they are withdrawn. Furthermore, by removing tramp oil from a coolant tank, the company prevents excessive smoke and fumes that are caused by oil burning during cutting operations. The Tote-it also reduces bacteria growth in the tank, along with the resulting odor.

Once the facility utilized the Tote-It skimmer in both the cooling tanks and the recovery tanks, it was able to successfully remove the oil from the coolant and from the wastewater.Additionally, with the ability to clean the oil laden coolant, the facility was able to save a significant amount of money and time on coolant disposal costs.

Tramp oil is huge problem for machining centers.  It can affect the appearance of the finished part, lead to worker skin conditions and leave a haze of smoke in the shop creating an environmental hazard.  Many machining centers built today have limited access to the coolant sumps more than they used to.  This creates a dilemma: how do you remove oil from a coolant sump when you barely have access to it? A mini tube skimmer, like the Abanaki’s Tubetastic!®, may be the perfect solution for this problem. The Tubetastic! has an oleophilic tube that snakes into your machining center and removes the oil from the surface of your coolant.  It attaches to the side of the tank lip or it can enter through a slot in the side of the machine.   Furthermore, it has a high capacity to remove oil.  The Tubetastic! can remove as much as 1.5 gph of oil from the surface of cutting fluid, enough to handle virtually any tramp oil problem.

The TubeTastic! features a 50/60hz fan-cooled, continuous duty motor in either 110 or 220v and standard collector tubes allowing reaches of 8″, 12″, 18″ or 24″ with longer lengths available.

Many of the machining centers built today have limited access to the coolant sump. This presents an interesting challenge to plant maintenance personnel on how to remove the oil from the coolant sump in their machine. They need a small solution to a big problem; a tube skimmer like the Tubetastic is the perfect fit. The tube skimmer has a small footprint and an even smaller mounting arrangement. There is a small lip on the front of the tube skimmer that allows you to easily mount the skimmer on even the most limited-access tank. The tube skimmer has an oleophilic tube that snakes into your machining center and removes the oil from your coolant. Keeping coolant clean is important in reducing shop odors and will make coolant last longer. See how the Tubetastic tube skimmer works in this animated demonstration.