Cutting Fluids Manual
Cutting Fluids Manual
Cutting Fluids Manual
With the right cutting fluid you can reduce the number of unplanned stoppages, and increase the
life of both the tool and the cutting fluid. This means you can increase capacity utilisation, thereby
reducing the cost per produced unit. With the right cutting fluid, the right checks and the right
handling, you can keep production at a consistently high level – both in terms of quality and efficiency.
In certain cases you can even reduce one or more stages in the production process, saving both
time and money.
So in other words, it pays to keep an eye on how cutting fluids work and how they should be handled.
At FUCHS Lubricants we have cutting fluids for every kind of need, and we can help you find the
optimum products for your particular field of operation.
This brochure brings together our key knowledge of cutting fluids: from composition and the role of
the various additives, to how they can improve your bottom line.
/Kenneth Borin
Contents
What are cutting fluids made of? 4 Handling and maintenance 16
Förord | 3
What are cutting fluids made of?
Metalworking fluids can be divided into water-miscible fluids (emulsions, semi-synthetics and Cutting oils
synthetics) and neat oils. This type of product is not mixed with water, but is applied directly. Neat cutting oils are
Water-miscible cutting fluids primarily used when good lubricating properties are required, such as in deep-hole drilling,
threading and reaming.
Emulsions are the most common type of cutting fluid today. An emulsion is made by adding a
concentrate to water to form a milky product. The appearance of an emulsion varies with the type
Cutting oils have different viscosities, base oils and additives depending on the processes and which
of product and the size of the oil drops. Larger oil drops give a more cream-like colour, while smaller
metals are being machined. Mineral oils, synthetic oils, white oils and esters are used as base oils.
drops give a more transparent emulsion that looks like very low-fat milk.
‘Fatty oils’ are also often added (such as vegetable oils, animal oils or esters) to protect against wear.
EP additives are also sometimes used (e.g. sulphur, phosphorus or chlorine). This type of fluid has
There are also concentrates that contain no oil; these give a transparent emulsion and are
better lubricating properties than the water-miscible ones, but has less of a cooling effect. Neat oils
called synthetics.
vary from the technically simple to some highly sophisticated formulations.
Cutting fluid concentrates are comprised of base oil, esters and fatty acids, emulsifiers, rust
One drawback of cutting oils that contain active sulphur additives is that they can discolour
protection, pH-regulating additives, biocides and anti-foaming agents. The properties of the emulsion
yellow metals.
can be altered and varied by changing the levels of the constituent components. The products are
normally used at a concentration of 4–10%. Water-miscible cutting fluids have excellent cooling
Normally, this type of product provides excellent corrosion protection.
capacity. In industry, the need for products with good cooling capacity has increased. This is because
new machines run at higher speeds, which generates more heat.
Water-miscible cutting fluids are cheap compared to straight cutting oils. The drawback of water-miscible
cutting fluids is that they have to be checked frequently to make sure the concentration is right. If the
wrong concentration is in the system the result is lower productivity, corrosion problems, and
possibly also bacterial growth..
Emulsion Cutting oil
Emulsion – structure
• Base – Mineral oil, esters
• Emulsifier/tenside – Sulphonates, soaps, synthetic tensides
• Corrosion protection – Sulphonates, soaps, amines, fatty acid amides
• pH regulators – Alkylamines, boramines Corrosion inhibitors Antioxidant
• Wear protection – Mineral oil, esters, sulphur/phosphorus compounds Preservatives
Corrosion
• Biocides – Formaldehyde donors etc. Solubilisers inhibitors
• Anti-foaming agents – Silicon oils, wax emulsions, calcium compounds Emulsifiers EP additive
EP additive
Synthetics have the same structure as emulsions, with one exception: they do not have mineral oil Polar oil Polar oil
as the base. Base oil
Base oil
4 | What are cutting fluids made of? What are cutting fluids made of? | 5
Lubricating additives Extreme pressure (EP) additives
There are two main types of additives: anti-wear (or ‘polar’) additives, and extreme pressure (or EP) When component surfaces come into frequent contact with each other under heavy loads
additives. (boundary lubrication), heat is generated.
Anti-wear (polar) additives Extreme pressure additives, which have the ability to form chemical compounds in the contact
• Fatty acid surface at high temperatures, can be used to reduce harmful wear. Cutting oils for tougher
• Ester machining in steel, aluminium and titanium almost always have some kind of EP additive.
• Polyglycol
The process
• The metal surfaces rub heavily against each other under heavy loads.
• Extreme pressure/high-temperature (EP) additives • The kinetic energy is converted into a dramatic rise in temperature in the contact points.
• Phosphate • The metals are welded together and the material gradually comes loose.
• Chlorine (not as widely used nowadays for environmental reasons)
The result
• Sulphur
• A shortened tool life and more rejected machined parts.
Coefficient of Friction/u
Workpiece speaking, for tough machining at
0.3
Fatty acids/ Sulphur high temperatures you need
Esters
more additives in your oil to
0.2
ensure cost-effective production.
Without the right additives in the
0.1
oil, you may need to reduce the
All additives production rate to maintain the
0
0 200 400 600 800 level of quality
Temperature
6 | What are cutting fluids made of? What are cutting fluids made of? | 7
A cutting fluid’s main tasks Cutting emulsion compared
Cutting fluid is used to cool, lubricate and remove metal
to cutting oils
particles, swarf and dirt from the machine, which can
otherwise increase wear on the machine and tools. Cutting Emulsion – Water-Miscible Fluids
Water
Emulsions (coarse emulsion, macroemulsion)
Desirable characteristics The most common fluids for metalworking are
Technical primary characteristics: A cutting fluid has emulsions. An emulsion is made by mixing a Oil drop
to cool and lubricate effectively in the metalworking concentrate into water, never the other way
process. It also has to keep machines and tools clean around. The concentrate consists of a mineral
and free of mess. oil and possibly a synthetic ester, along with an
• Effective cooling and lubrication emulsifier and other additives. When the
Oil molecule
• Good cleaning of machines and tools concentrate is mixed with water, a milky-white
• Effective removal of swarf emulsion is formed. The concentrate is mixed Emulsifier
To choose the right cutting fluid, you must consider: The material’s effect on the fluid
• The types of material being machined However, when we look at the material’s effect on the cutting fluid, cast iron and copper alloys form
• The type of machining small metal particles during machining which can easily get stuck in nooks and crannies and make
• The premises, environmental and health & safety aspects the machine dirty. There are therefore higher demands on the fluid’s cleaning properties when
machining these materials.
10 | How to choose the right cutting fluid? How to choose the right cutting fluid? | 11
Advantages and drawbacks of different types
of cutting fluids Properties Cutting oil Emulsion Synthetic
Lubrication ++ + –
Slow operation = high demands on lubrication = Cutting oil
Fast operation = high demands on cooling = Cutting emulsion Cooling – + ++
Cleaning – + ++
Removal of swarf ++ + –
Cutting oil Cutting Emulsion –
Demands: Water-Miscible Cutting Fluid Corrosion protection ++ + –
– High demands on lubrication Demands:
Antibacterial ++ – +
– High demands on surface finish – High demands on cooling
– Hard-to-machine materials – High cutting speeds Mould/fungi ++ + –
– “Maintenance free” – Most materials can be machined
Comparison between cutting oil, emulsions and synthetics, where + means the
Examples: Examples: product type is better suited to that particular property.
– Grinding hard metals – Turning • Cutting oils provide the best lubrication and rust protection.
– Deep-hole drilling – Milling • Emulsions provide better lubrication and rust protection than synthetics.
– Threading difficult materials – Drilling • Synthetics have the best cooling and cleaning properties.
– Gear cutting – Grinding
– Rotary table machines
Drawbacks:
Drawbacks: – Requires care/maintenance
– Worse cooling – Systems need replacing Optimisation of cutting fluids when
– Mess in and around machines – Greater risk of allergies etc.
– Fire risk
circumstances change
It’s not always easy to find an optimum cutting fluid that works perfectly in several
different types of operation and with widely varying materials. To make life easier for
our customers, at FUCHS we have produced different additives to change the proper-
ties of our cutting fluids and adapt them to the customer’s specific production. One
example is our lubricating additives, which increase the lubrication of the products
should the customer change to a new material that is harder to machine. When the
system is topped up with a lubricating additive, it becomes a more lubricating pro-
duct without having to stop the machine and halt production.
12 | How to choose the right cutting fluid? How to choose the right cutting fluid? | 13
| 15
The mixing proportions between the products to be tested should be 10/90, 50/50 and 90/10.
This simulates the beginning of the dilution when there is 10% new product and 90% old product in
the system, 50% of each in the middle of the changing process and 90% of the new and 10% of the old
once the fluid change is almost complete. If problems do arise, this generally happens at the 10/90
or 90/10 stage. If the lab test results are good, changing the oil normally proceeds quite smoothly.
Then remove the couplings and pressure-wash the pipes, along with mechanical cleaning of nooks
and crannies. If you don’t clean the pipes and tank properly, there is a high risk of dirt and cutting
fluid residue getting into the new fluid during filling – especially if the new fluid washes better, which
can result in clogged filters and possibly overflowing.
Any problems tend to subside after the system has been running a while. There is a greater risk of
foaming initially when the entire system is changed and started up with a new product in soft water.
There is a risk that some of the old deposits could come loose, but it is far less than with option 1 if
you have not also cleaned all the tanks and pipes properly.
cutting fluids/systems
Checking the concentration of the emulsion
The concentration of the emulsion must be kept at the right level if the emulsion is to work optimally.
– If the concentration is too high it will produce more mess, increase the risk of skin problems and
also increase cutting fluid consumption.
Clean the cutting oil system regularly – Too low a concentration results in bacteria, fungal infestations, corrosion, poor lubrication, and a
reduced life span on the tools and system.
During Christmas or summer stoppages, pump the oil off and remove swarf and any other residues
at the bottom of the tank. Clean the conveyor, tank and machine, and then filter the oil back into the It is therefore important to regularly measure the concentration, ideally daily but at least once or
system. You generally only need to fill with a small amount of new oil. twice a week.
16 | Handling and maintenance of cutting fluids/systems Handling and maintenance of cutting fluids/systems | 17
Check the pH value Measure the bacteria content in the emulsion
The problem with bacteria is that they eat the cutting fluid’s components and secrete acidic
It’s important to keep an eye on the pH value in the system. If the pH decreases, you either have too
substances, which leads to a drop in pH and then to corrosion problems and bad odours. Bacteria
low a concentration or a bacterial problem. In most cutting fluids, the pH should be at least 9.0.
breed quickly if they are able to infect the system, so it is important to measure the bacteria levels
pH can either be checked using a pH meter or a pH stick. once a week.
Bacteria is most easily measured using a dip slide. Bear in mind the results could take up to two days
for bacteria, and up to four days for mould and fungi. More advanced equipment can be used to also
pH-scale measure the amount of bactericide in the system.
Bacteria
Yeast
Mold
Contact FUCHS Lubricants or follow the standard maintenance procedure if the pH falls below the re-
commended value, or if the bacteria content cannot be kept below 106 per ml.
Stomach acid Coke Juice Beer Water Milk Soap Antacid Lye
pH 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Acid Neutral Alkaline
18 | Handling and maintenance of cutting fluids/systems Handling and maintenance of cutting fluids/systems | 19
Tips and advice
1. Appoint someone to be in charge of emulsion Support products
• This person will check that there is the right concentration in the systems.
• They will also keep a logbook of concentration and pH values. Support products are used to maintain the performance of the cutting fluids and to rectify various
• Take corrective action to maintain the fluid’s optimum properties. kinds of problems.
2. Label the machines. If you use different cutting fluids for different kinds of machining, label each
machine with the type of cutting fluid used in that machine. This will avoid mixing fluids, which may System cleaners
compromise the properties in the cutting fluid. A system cleaner is a water-soluble cleaner and dispersant for emulsions and solutions. System
cleaners are only used in connection with a change of emulsion, rather than for regular emulsion
3. Try to minimise the number of ‘dead’ spaces in the system, where the cutting fluid stands still.
maintenance. System cleaners kill bacterial and fungal growth, and also loosen microbiological slime
4. Check that the concentration is correct. and sludge..
12. Always use a system cleaner when changing the fluid. pH-adjusters
Used to raise the pH of an emulsion. The pH should always be adjusted in connection with a
production stoppage, and before using biocides.
Time
Change of system Change of system
Here at FUCHS, we have developed different types of water-miscible cutting fluid for minimising the
risk of side effects, bacterial and fungal problems in different ways.
pH-value: Measure using a litmus paper or pH meter. The pH is product specific and is normally between 9.0 and 9.6 in a
new emulsion. When the pH starts to decrease (should be measured at least once a week), this is a sign that the emulsion is
starting to break down and that maintenance is due. Attacks of rust and bacteria in materials and tools are some examples
of what a decreasing pH can lead to. It is unusual for the pH to rise, but this could happen if alkaline liquid gets into the
system, e.g. from degreasing.
Product Data Sheets: These should always be present in the workplace. They describe the areas of use of individual
products, mixing ratios, the refractometer index, the pH of the emulsion and so on.
26 | Glossary Glossary | 27
2 0 16 . 0 9 G R A N AT H