Month: December 2013

Selecting the right metal cutting fluid can take time and be an information overload. To select the fluid that is the right solution for your needs, you should review the options and benefits of each metal working fluid.
Start by reading the product and supplier information and have a conversation with your local supplier or stockiest. Ultimately, the best performance indicator will be trial and error for your personal needs.

When selecting a fluid, consider these factors:

• The cost and life expectancy of the fluid
• Feed, speed and depth of the fluid’s cutting operation
• The compatibility of the fluid with machine components and work materials
• Type, microstructure and hardness of the metal to be machined
• The ability to separate the fluid from cuttings and work
• The ease of quality control and maintenance of the fluid
• The temperature operating range of the product
• PH ranges and optimal concentration
• Ease of disposal and fluid recycling
• Storage practices

When choosing fluids, you should remember one thing: you will get what you pay for. Do not select a fluid based on its initial cost, divide the cost per gallon by the fluid’s life expectancy to have an accurate indication of its cost.

Even though the initial cost of a premium product can be high, such a fluid will have a lower long-term cost than other low quality products. This is because a premium product has a superior fluid life.

When selecting a fluid, you should weigh the benefits of the fluid’s versatility against its performance. Due to the essential improvements in the fluid formulations, most of the modern day fluids can handle a broad range of machining applications.
Machine shops that need various types of fluids can now choose one to two fluids that will meet all of their needs.

Cutting fluids are an instrumental part of metal machining due to their improvement of the tool life, reduction of the work piece thermal radiation, flushing away chips from the cutting area, and improving the surface finish. There are five main categories of cutting fluids – straight oils, synthetic oils, soluble oils and semi-synthetic and Unist Coolube.

1. Straight oils
   These oils are non-emulsifiable and very useful in machining operations where they function in undiluted form. Their composition is a base mineral or even petroleum oil. Often they contain polar lubricants like vegetable oils, fats and esters.
   They may also contain extreme pressure additives including sulphur, chlorine, and phosphorus. To achieve the best lubrication use straight oils however they may have poor cooling characteristics.
2. Synthetic fluids
   They do not contain mineral oil base or petroleum. Instead, they’re formulated from the alkaline organic and inorganic compounds alongside additives to prevent corrosion. They function well in their diluted form. Of all the varieties of cutting fluids, synthetic fluids offer the best cooling performance.
3. Soluble oils
   Soluble Oils usually form an emulsion after mixing them with water. The resulting concentrate contains emulsions and a base mineral oil to produce a stable emulsion. They function well in their diluted form and offer a great lubrication in addition to heat transfer performance. They are the least expensive and are the most widely used fluids in the industry.
4. Semi-synthetic fluids
   These fluids are basically a combination of the soluble oils and synthetic fluids. Besides, the heat transfer performance and cost of the semi-synthetic fluids falls between those of the soluble and synthetic fluids.

If you would like to benefit from the properties and functions of the soluble and synthetic oils, try Unist Coolube. It is 100% natural, non-toxic, non-staining, and non-hazardous.

Request a free sample of Unist Coolube

A coolant is a mineral based cutting fluid which is mixed with water. For decades, people have been using coolants to remove heat for various metal cutting operations with amazing benefits as explained below.

Improving part quality

Using cutting fluids reduces heat and friction. Removing the heat ensures that the work piece does not expand when carrying out machining operations. Such expansions could result to size variation and could damage the microstructure of the material as well.

Reduces the Tooling Costs

The proper use of cutting fluids improves the lifespan of tools which reduces the tools’ maintenance costs. In turn, the increased tool life reduces the need for tool replacements and downtime and decreases the labor costs. By using coolants, you will spend less on labor and tool maintenance.

Increases the cutting speeds and feeds

During a machining operation there is usually friction and heating, coolants reduce this. Their use allows high feeds and speeds that help to attain optimal cutting conditions.

Improve surface finishes

When you use cutting fluids you help to remove chips. This ensures that the chip isn’t caught between the work piece and tool where it can cause scratches or a poor surface finish.

Reduction of bacterial growth

Bacteria affect cutting oils and it is essential to put in place measures that will reduce their growth. The growth of bacteria can turn your metal cutting fluid into a rancid one. While use of additives in coolants will reduce the bacteria’s effect, it is very important that you use pure water for coolant mixing.

Prevention of rust and corrosion

Cutting fluids protect the work piece, machines and tooling against corrosion and rust. These fluids usually leave a residual film long after the water evaporates. Prevention of corrosion increases the lifespan of your tools.