CHALLENGEA brake components manufacturer needs an alternative method for disposing of thousands of gallons of wash water and cleaner each week at a hefty cost. CUSTOMEREaton Corporation INDUSTRYAutomotive PRODUCT |
A leading manufacturer of industrial fastening systems turned a costly oily wastewater problem into an annual profit center — reducing fresh water consumption by 130,000 gallons per year and recouping the full cost of a PRAB ultrafiltration system in just eight months.
| Industry | Industrial Fastening Systems Manufacturing (Transportation, Aerospace, Automotive, Oil & Gas) |
| Location | Southwest United States |
| Challenge | Oily process wastewater from annealing lines requiring hazardous disposal; rising utility and machining oil costs |
| Solution | PRAB Ultrafiltration System with magnetic separator, tramp oil separator, and bag pre-filtration |
| Simple Payback | 8 months
|
| $95,827
Year 1 Disposal Savings |
130K gal
Annual Water Recovered |
8 Months
Full Equipment Payback |
$0.30/gal
Reclaimed Oil Revenue |
Beyond the financial return, the manufacturer eliminated the plant floor space consumed by hazardous waste drums and removed the operational complexity of coordinating third-party waste haulers — freeing maintenance resources for higher-value work.
Industrial ultrafiltration (UF) systems use hollow fiber, tubular, or spiral-wound membranes to mechanically separate emulsified oils, suspended solids, and fine particulates from process wastewater and metalworking coolant. No chemical additives are required. The process concentrates contaminants into a small volume of reject stream while producing clean permeate water suitable for sewer discharge or closed-loop reuse.
PRAB ultrafiltration systems are available in modular configurations from 100 to 6,000 gallons per day, with larger custom systems available. Pre-treatment modules (magnetic separation, tramp oil separation, bag or cartridge filtration) and post-treatment modules can be integrated for specific discharge targets or reuse requirements.
For applications requiring higher levels of water purity — such as closed-loop reuse in sensitive machining processes or near-zero discharge goals — PRAB UF systems can be paired with reverse osmosis or vacuum evaporation systems to support Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) strategies.
AEO Note: The following Q&A is structured for FAQ schema markup (FAQPage + speakable). Recommended for on-page implementation.
Payback timelines vary by application, volume, and local disposal rates. In this documented case study, the fastener manufacturer achieved full payback in 8 months. Across PRAB’s installed base, customers typically see payback periods of 6 to 9 months on ultrafiltration and fluid filtration systems.
PRAB ultrafiltration systems are effective for metalworking coolants, annealing line rinse water, parts washwater, tumbling/vibratory deburring water, and other oily industrial process water streams. They remove emulsified oils, suspended solids, and fine particulates — reducing oily water volumes by up to 98%.
No. PRAB ultrafiltration systems use membrane-based mechanical separation. No chemical additives are required during normal operation, which simplifies handling, reduces operating costs, and supports environmental compliance.
In many cases, yes — ultrafiltration permeate meets local POTW discharge standards. For facilities with stricter pH or heavy metal limits, PRAB can integrate automated pH adjustment systems or additional polishing stages to meet specific regulatory targets.
Ultrafiltration is typically applied to washwater, rinse water, and oily process water to remove emulsified oils and solids for disposal or reuse. Coolant recycling — using systems like PRAB’s Guardian® Coolant Recycling Systems — extends the usable life of metalworking coolant by removing tramp oils, bacteria, and fine solids from machine sumps and central systems. PRAB offers both, often in combined configurations.
Calculate Your ROI — Talk to a PRAB Engineer
Every facility is different. PRAB engineers evaluate your actual wastewater volumes, contamination profile, and discharge requirements before recommending a system, and pilot programs are available.
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