Cutting fluid is very vital and lack of which some very critical process in metal cutting cannot take place. That said, it is very important that you know how to handle the fluid in order to lengthen its useful life. Maintenance of metal cutting fluids has been one of the practice that has largely been handled unprofessionally in most industrial set ups yet on the contrary it ought to be the most watched after practice. The life of cutting fluid is affected by lots of factors and amongst them are dilution which automatically renders it ineffective, top up rates and tramp oil and many others. The key to enhancing the sump life of cutting fluid is through machine cleanliness.
May people would wonder the connection there is between machine cleanliness and the life of cutting fluids. The reason is that while a machine tool is in operation, the fluid system usually become contaminated through contact with hard water soaps, tramp oil machining debris and may other things. These contaminants usually reside on the bottom and sides of tanks. These deposits eventually form a very convenient breeding ground for fungi, bacteria and other microbes that together become a ‘biomass’ which effectively shorten the life of the cutting fluid.
To ensure that the cutting fluids reach their mature end in the machine tools, the latter have to be cleaned very well and any contaminants removed. Simple processes that involve pumping and refilling may not yield much and in the long run they may end up being costly.
Preparation and Cleaning Process
Every job that is to be undertaken involves preparation and so is the machine tool cleaning process. Before starting the process, you need to have some things in place. The steps that are involved in the preparation and cleaning process include the following:
Preparation Phase
Step1: Ensure that there is adequate capacity within the containers for the waste to be handled effectively. In addition, replacement filters need to be made available. Even though the filters may not be used on a regular basis, their availability is very crucial.
Step 2: The machine tool system cleaner should be available in the right quantities. Together with the cleaner, there should also be sufficient quantities of fresh fluid which will be used for refilling and toping up the machine tool system.
After these things are ready and confirmed, you can now start on the cleaning process. This process needs to be thorough as its end will determine the success of the entire exercise.
The Cleaning Process
Step 3: You are to introduce the recommended machine tool cleaner. The cleaner which ought to have been mixed in the right dilution ratios is to be introduced into the old machine tool cutting fluid. This is done to ensure that the machine tool system is first of all full in order for the cleaner to contact all tank surfaces.
Step 4: for a period of 8-10 hours, you are to allow the mixture to circulate after which the system is switched off and the tank covers removed. The interior of the machine is to be brushed down and debris removed.
Step 5: using a vacuum pump, the old fluid which contains contaminants and other debris is drained out. It is advisable that while carrying out this exercise, you work from the surface of the fluid. This will reduce if not completely eliminate any chances of leaving behind a layer of tramp oil somewhere on the tank surface.
Step 6: after the previous step, there are possibilities that solid debris could still be sticking somewhere on the tank surface or the conveyor. These are to be removed completely. This is where most technicians make a mistake because if this process is not done well then some debris will still remain which will become the key contaminants when the fresh fluid is pumped in. The removal of debris at this stage is supposed to be undertaken manually.
Step 7: The filters should either be changed or removed completely and the entire system rinsed with clean water.
Step 8: the rinse water needs to be circulated in the system for a number of minutes then pumped out until the entire mechanism is dry.
Step 9: the removed tank covers and conveyors should now be replaced.
Step 10: the system now is clean and can be refilled and circulated with fresh cutting fluid. You can let out the first few liters as they will mostly contain rinse water.
This is a process that ensures your machine tool system is clean all the time and therefore the metal cutting fluid pumped in with have a long life without getting immediately contaminated.
Author bio:
Dan Canfield is a chemical engineer. He spends most of his time formulating mixtures and ratios for lubricants and other fluids. He writes this article on behalf of unist.com.au- expert in metal cutting technology.
