Preventative Maintenance, Proper Coolants are Key for Metalworking Professionals

Few applications put as much wear and tear on equipment as metalworking. With such complex machinery operating under such heavy workloads, it isn’t uncommon to experience breakdowns or downtime. However, using the correct fluids and regularly maintaining machines can go a long way towards avoiding costly issues and extending equipment life.

According to Rich Limpert, Regional Manager for PetroChoice and Certified Lubrication Specialist, keeping your equipment running longer and stronger starts with choosing the right coolants, something some users don’t always consider.

“We have had experience with customer that have been choosing the wrong fluids for their metalworking, which should be water soluble coolants,” he said. In some cases, they will use a synthetic because they want more lubricity.”

While choosing the right coolant for the job is important, even the best products won’t perform without routine maintenance. A daily check on the appropriate properties can help determine whether lubricants are still working effectively and lead to the discovery of other potential issues.

“Regular, everyday housekeeping practices can help customers use their products better and prolong life. The number one key to anything involving water soluble metalworking fluids is checking your refractometer readings daily,” Limpert said. “The second step is making sure you know what the multiplier is for the coolant you are using so you can accurately describe the coolant to water ratio.”

Limpert said keeping that ratio in check can extend the life of a coolant and equipment.
“The coolants are designed to last a long time with the right mix of water to coolant. That often gets overlooked. If you drive the concentration that drives the PH, which drives just about everything else. Performance, odor, all of those things.”

Keeping equipment up and running can be costly in and of itself. While maintenance costs can be high, they often pale in comparison to the costs associated with repairing or purchasing new equipment.

“They put their sump life in jeopardy. Sometimes you get kind of a cocktail of different fluids and end up with a variable PH,” Limpert said. “You end up spending more money on tools, which is ten times the cost of coolant.”

Putting off maintenance and ignoring fluids can have disastrous results.

“We had an account where a customer hadn’t changed their coolant out in four years. I looked at it, it didn’t look right and it smelled off. I asked them to pull the sump tray out and when he did there was a biomass of fungus that was about a foot and a half long. That one always stuck out to me.”

Preventative maintenance can also ensure companies get the most out of their coolants, as many get locked in to specific cycles and end up changing fluid that is still effective. This may not result in long term damage, but it still cuts into the bottom line.

“Some products last longer than others. Oftentimes the customers will take advantage of the life of the coolant and properly maintain it, other times they don’t,” Limpert said. “They will get into a maintenance cycle that is a certain amount of time, something like changing their lubricant every 30 days or 60 days. Sometimes they have a coolant that will last two to three years with regular maintenance.”