Cryogenic Processing - Case Studies

Timber industry
Drag racing
Go-Kart

ROI- Knife steel for the Timber Industry

The following Return On Investment is based on the costs of knife steel only. It does not take into account additional savings on maintenance, increase of throughput, superior finish standards, all of which have been reported after using cryogenically treated knife steel.

Non cryogenically treated knife steel

• Original purchase price for Knife steel per inch $26.00
• Cost per inch for 6 inch Blade $156.00
• Cost per 4 blade head $624.00
• Maximum usage of blades before sharpening in minutes 60 min
• Total cost in knife steel $624.00 

If we use this cutting head for one hour each day then have it sharpened every day and we do this for a period of five days after which the blades are worn out completely. Thus total costs are:

• Total cost of knife steel  $624.00 
• Total cost of sharpening  $160.00
• Total Dollars spent every five days $784.00
• Total Dollars spent every ten days $1568.00

Compare this with cryogenically treated knife steel

• Cryogenically treated Knife steel - per inch $29.00
• Cryogenic treatment cost  for 6 inch Blade $174.00
• Cost per 4 blade head $696.00
• Cost of sharpening all 4 blades $32.00
• Maximum usage of blades in minutes 120 min
• Total cost in knife steel $696.00 

Based on a 100% usage increase result from treatment, if we use this cutting head for one hour each day then have it sharpened every second day and we do this for a period of ten days after which the blades are worn out completely.

• Total cost of knife steel  $696.00 
• Total cost of sharpening  $160.00
• Total dollars spent every ten days  $856.00
• Total dollars saved every ten day $712.00

This is based on a reduced expectation of the performance of the blades and your own results could be even better.

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ROI / Case Study- Intake valve springs for drag car

A well known drag racer was approached and agreed to allow Cryogen Industries to treat a set of his new intake valve springs. 

The racer installed new intake valve springs before every race meeting, ran the engine on the dyno where he noted a drop of approximately 10% of seat pressure after 2-3 pulls. 

Then after each run at the track the springs were tested on the car and shimmed accordingly to maintain even seat pressure across the range. During this process the racer always noticed that the majority of the intake valve springs would crack the tail of the spring off due to the high load experienced during the run. 

After a full meeting the valve springs had lost too much seat pressure and were cracked so the racer would discard them for a new set, a costly exercise.

A new box of spring were bought to Cryogen Industries for treatment.

The valve springs were tested before treatment to determine seat pressure, the springs measured an average of 450 pounds per square inch with a 4-7 pound tolerance across the set. 

The springs were then treated using our proprietary spring treatment process then tested again, After cryogencally treatment the springs then measured an average 500 pounds per square inch with a 2-3 pound tolerance.

Thus before: 450 pounds per square inch
After :           500 pounds per square inch

Once returned to the racer they were installed in the engine and Dyno'd. After 3 pulls, the seat pressure was measured showing a decrease of approx 10% across the range ( the same as a untreated seat) 

The engine was then subject to 3 more pulls and tested to show the seat pressure was unchanged from the last test. 

The racer then went to the track and raced his car as per his normal schedule and after each run tested the seat pressure and looked for cracks. After the third race meeting and Dyno time without a decrease in seat pressure or any cracked tails the racer was impressed with the result but still wondered what would happen if he really leaned on the engine to see if he could force a change.

Much to his surprise he wasn't able to force a change and the intake springs still measured the same seat pressure and weren't cracked, but the exhaust springs were down a total of 25% from new. The racer then ask if Cryogen Industries could treat the used exhaust springs. Using our Spring rejuvenation program we were able to restore the springs back to the original seat pressure so they were able to be reused in the engine. 

After the sixth meeting the racer was preparing for the seventh meeting when a installation fault damaged one of the treated springs. A new full set of cryogenically treated springs were installed and the racer is still going strong with extra money in his pocket and a spring in his step !

ROI - based just on the reduced cost of the valve springs and assuming they only last three time longer not six as reported

The racer used top of the line valve springs that cost on average around $1200.00 per set, but for the ROI lets say they only cost half that $600. For this exercise we also won't take into account downtime, the time to shim the springs, the cost of catastrophic failure if a spring tail cracks off and lodges in a rotating part etc we will just work off the reduced cost of the valve springs and assume they only last three time longer not six as reported. 

Untreated Scenario

• Set of valve springs $600 
• Maximum No. of meetings per use - 1
• Total cost in valve springs for 10 meetings $6000

Treated Scenario

• Set of Valve Springs $600
• Treatment cost $280 (Retail)
• Maximum No. of meetings per use - 3
• Total cost in valve springs for 10 meetings $3480 
  (based on four sets of treated springs)
• Saving $2480 

So even at half of the reported increase you still save you almost two and a half thousand dollars per season!

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ROI / Case Study- Go-kart 

A racer approached us with a ' Leppard' go kart engine an alloy drive gear, brake rotor and pad he wanted treated. The racer stated that he had to rebuild his engine and replace the drive gear every every 12 hours also he had to shim his brakes. 

The engine had been freshened already so we ask for it to be stripped down for treatment, the engine was processed then reassembly ready to race. 

After the kart was run in, the racer reported that the engine still felt tight but went quicker than before, and that the brakes felt smoother and didn't require as much pressure to operate, they also didn't require shimming after the first 50 laps. 

The racer then ran his kart in competition where he shaved time off in qualifying as well in the race. 

After 150 laps the brakes still didn't need to be shimmed and the engine still felt good and no significant wear was apparent on the drive gear. 

When the racer got his 12 hours up the engine was pulled down only to reveal that it was in great shape and not in need of a rebuild. Then engine was reassembled and is still going strong!

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