RAM Grinding Cools

Manufacturing Facility at One-Tenth

the Cost of Traditional A/C

At RAM Grinding, located just outside Denver, precision is measured in ten thousandths of an inch.
Whether it’s a small part or a $100,000 part, the precision tolerance is often not more than .0002”. The company grinds metal for a broad range of clients in aerospace, automotive, mining and other industries.
RAM Grinding’s parts quality – and its business – depend on consistent process control. A mistake during production can turn an expensive part into scrap. A smooth process hinges on employee work consistency and environmental temperature stability.

“Facility temperature is really critical. A 10-degree rise in temperature can expand a metal part by .0001”, said Donovan Horton, co-owner of RAM Grinding. “We try to keep the temperature as constant as possible.”100 Percent Fresh, Cool Air When the company purchased a 7,800-square-foot facility that lacked a cooling system, the owners had the opportunity to evaluate all their options. At once, RAM Grinding sought a cost-effective solution; cooling to promote employee comfort, health and productivity; and cool, dry air that would not adversely impact
products or processes. The owners knew they did not want evaporative
cooling. At the company’s previous location, evaporatively cooled air added humidity to an already humid environment and failed to cool adequately.
Evaporative cooling, plus misting from machinery, brought the humidity up to 90 percent. Traditional air conditioning offered temperature
consistency but at a high price: over $30,000 to install the system and over $5,000 per year in electrical charges. In addition, the traditional system would recirculate stale indoor air and not contribute to improved indoor air quality, or employee health and productivity.

After an extensive search the company found Coolerado’s advanced technology air conditioner. The Coolerado system was able to meet all of RAM Grinding’s objectives. The company installed three Coolerado R600 units to provide 100 percent fresh, cooled make-up air.

Initially, RAM Grinding planned to duct-cool air to each work station. However, the Coolerado system provided so much cooling capacity that the additional ducting proved unnecessary, further reducing capital expenses. Saving $5000 Annually RAM Grinding runs the Coolerado units continuously for six months of the year, around the clock. They maintain temperatures between 68ºF and 78ºF, and humidity levels around 20 to 25 percent. Those levels keep the facility pleasant and prevent metals from expanding. The three Coolerado units demand peak powerof 3,000 watts, compared to 30,000 watts with a 20-ton, 13-SEER traditional air conditioner. Not only did RAM Grinding install the system for considerably lower capital cost than the alternative, but the ongoing savings reduce the company’s overhead by $5,000 annually.