Without lubricants, the operation of most modern metal-working products is impossible. At the same time, the metal elements themselves, which are used in technology, cannot meet functional requirements without appropriate maintenance with special substances. To date, cutting fluids (coolant) are presented on the market in more than 600 items. Among them, you can find tools for use in power units, for use in metalworking, as well as medical, insulating, form-sharing, biological and anti-corrosion oils. The bulk of these fluids are used by industrial enterprises and the construction industry.
Why are cutting fluids needed?
Most often, lubricants are introduced into the working space between the rubbing elements in order to minimize wear in the mechanisms. Often this function is complemented by an increase in the efficiency. But this applies to traditional substances of this type, however, cooling materials are also necessary to protect equipment and work items from overheating. For example, metalworking fluids can optimize temperature conditions and relieve high pressure. Such compensation in the end not only allows you to maintain the performance of the cutters, but also to improve the characteristics of the resulting products. There are also specialized protective equipment in which the main emphasis is on ensuring anti-corrosion, insulating and sealing properties. This category of materials is most common in construction.
Composition of coolant
Any lubricant is made according to a special recipe. There are basic regulatory compositions, as well as modifications that are received in order to ensure special performance. Most often, the basis is a low-viscosity oil mixture. Cutting oils are produced from it, the composition of which is also modified by chlorine paraffin, zinc dialkyldithiophosphates, polyzol calcium sulfonate and other additives. Such compositions are commonly used in cutting heat-resistant alloys and stainless steel parts. A feature of the action of this composition is to prevent sticking of the material to the tool. The use of a low-viscosity, highly hydrogenated fraction of sulfur dioxide as a base is also widespread. Working fluids on this basis are used in EDM machines of varying degrees of power, in the implementation of lapping and turning operations on mechanical assembly production lines.
The main characteristics of liquids
The appearance characteristics of such liquids vary significantly depending on the additives used. As a rule, this is a fluid mass of brown color, the shades of which can vary. From the point of view of the working function, one of the most important characteristics is density. A standard lubricating composition with a cooling effect has a density in the range of 1100 to 1200 kg / m 3 . However, this indicator can be varied in the manufacture of the concentrate. Also, cutting fluids in some formulations contain active ions. In a 1% aqueous solution, this value can be of the order of 10 pH. Manufacturers usually recommend the use of concentrated formulations with a ratio of 1-3%. But depending on the location of the operation and the target material, this value may increase. So, to ensure the grinding function, it is recommended to use a 4% concentrate, and for complex metal processing, the indicator increases to 7%.
Characteristics in terms of coolant supply
There are different methods for supplying, applying, and distributing lubricant fluids over functional surfaces. Not all of them have special requirements for the lubricant in terms of physical properties, but in some cases they are important because they determine the nature of the interaction with the working medium. Ultimately, this affects the efficiency of the function of the substance itself. For example, if a cutting fluid is used for metalworking machines, then the speed of the feed jet comes to the fore. Accordingly, the lighter the components, the more effective will be the lubrication of the cutting element during operation. The fraction of individual particles in the liquid composition is also taken into account. At a high feed rate, they can adversely affect the surface properties, deforming it. In addition, machine operators should take into account the temperature of the jet and make adjustments for possible adjustments to this value under certain working platform conditions.
Technical and operational properties
Basic qualities relate to providing optimum lubricating and cooling properties. Also, in some areas, high demands are placed on washing functions, which allows the mechanism to clean surfaces of parts in a timely manner. Additional qualities that are endowed with modern cutting fluids include bactericidal activity, environmental friendliness, hygiene, resistance to chemical influences and extreme temperatures. It is important to take into account that the lubricating components themselves give a considerable chemical effect on various materials, therefore, when choosing a product, the qualities of the liquid should be compared with the target material.
Varieties of coolant
The main classification of cooling lubricants is based on the origin of the product. The most common industrial oils that are used in industry and manufacturing. Mostly these are petroleum fluids supplemented with modifiers. One of the popular varieties of such additives is also coarse emulsions of oil products that form in the aquatic environment. Stable microemulsion types of cutting fluids allow the formation of semi-synthetic or synthetic compounds based on organics. Low-boiling, rapidly evaporating mixtures based on halogenated hydrocarbons with additives have also gained popularity.
Coolant application
Lubricants are most widely used in the production of metal parts, as well as their processing. They not only protect working equipment from premature wear, but also improve the quality of manufactured products. The second place in demand for such materials can be attributed to the field of construction. In this industry, the use of cutting fluids is determined by the desire to provide protective qualities to building materials, insulating and decorative coatings.
Manufacturer's Reviews
Among the largest coolant manufacturers, Proma, Univeco and Messer can be distinguished. The first brand became famous due to the release of effective tools that allow reliable processing of metals by cold and hot methods. User reviews of this fluid note that during the production process it is possible to minimize the indicators of marriage, increase productivity and increase the accuracy of processing. The production of cutting fluids of the Univeco company has also been established at a modern level. This group of mixtures is made on the basis of corrosion inhibitors and an activated aqueous medium, which is especially appreciated by consumers in the construction sector. As for the Messer brand, its products are more often used in high-precision processing operations. The advantages of such fluids include high anti-corrosion properties, resistance to micro-fermentation, as well as environmental cleanliness.
Conclusion
Modern technologies for processing metal parts are gradually moving away from traditional mechanical methods of exposure. Against this background, the consumption of protective and enhancing equipment stability decreases. Nevertheless, there remain industries where cutting fluids are still relevant. This is primarily construction, engineering, medicine and electrical engineering. Another thing is that in highly specialized areas, more and more advanced materials are required for their technical and operational properties, requiring the use of high-tech additives and modifiers.