Over the years, the immense advancement in technology has brought demanding complexity in machining processes. To achieve excellence and keep the heavy-duty equipment running uninterruptedly, the use of cutting fluids is prioritized today.

With the help of cutting fluids, the overall efficiency of the cutting tools can be enhanced as well as prolonged. However, there are more benefits attached to its usage and this is why many industries depend on this substance.

Companies look for the best cutting fluids supplier in Dubai and other locations to get their hands on quality products. But finding high-quality cutting fluids requires a bit of knowledge and research.

Keep reading till the end to learn all things essential about cutting fluids and select the best product for application.

Cutting Fluid - What is it?

Cutting Fluid is a liquid or gaseous substance utilized for improving the cutting conditions during the machining process and also to protect the cutting tools from being damaged or worn out. Cutting fluids are also known as coolants or lubricants and even referred to as cutting compounds or cutting oil depending on their varied usage and applications.

This substance is mainly produced from petroleum distillates, animal fats, plant oils, air, water and more other raw materials. The metalworking and machining processes mainly have the requirement for cutting fluid and the type of cutting fluid that needs to be used is determined by the workpiece material.

For example, cast iron and a few brasses are some of the materials that can be dry machined, even though brass is a material that will be more benefitted when the ideal cutting fluid shall be used while machining.

Functions of Cutting Fluids

Cutting fluids mainly performs the following functions -

Cooling 

In the machining process, there is heat generation due to the friction and energy lost deforming which causes the deformation of the material. The conduction of this heat is poor because of the air in the surrounding, a phenomenon which is known as low thermal conductivity.

Alternatively, in production work where heavy cutting is demanded for over a long period, the generation heat is more. In such cases, air cooling doesn’t suffice to bring the temperature down, instead the use of cutting fluids work suitably to cool down the heat generated.

Liquid cutting fluids perform more efficiently to bring down increased heat at a rapid pace. It also helps in speeding the cutting process and therefore, reduces the chance of tool wear and friction.

Heat is not favorable for the tool and the workpiece material as increased heat can temper both of them. This will cause the tool and the material to soften to a point where they fail to function and become useless. With the use of ideal cutting fluid, users can eliminate the issues caused by increased heat and friction.

Lubrication

During the cutting process, the cutting fluid also performs the function of lubricating the interface that lies between the tool’s cutting edge and the chip. Proper lubrication helps in preventing friction at the surface and some of the heat generation can also be avoided.

Cutting fluids that are used as lubricants also aids in preventing the chips from being welded on to the tools used that can potentially interfere with the subsequent cutting action.

Aside from cooling and lubrication, cutting fluids also offer functions of reducing forces and energy consumption, prolong tool life, clean and smooth surface finish, prevent environmental corrosion on machine surface, reduce the chances of friction and wear.

Factors to Consider When Using Cutting Fluids

While they perform the above-mentioned functions, there are a few key factors that need to be considered when utilizing cutting fluids. They are - 

·         Flow - Operators are required to ensure that optimized flow is attained when the cutting fluid gently proceeds over the work piece. If the nozzle is too close or far from the job then it results in causing high-pressure which ultimately ends up in wastage of cutting fluid. Therefore, operators need to make sure that the nozzle is distanced precisely from the work piece so that the flow is gentle.

·         Cutting Fluid Choice - The correct choice of cutting fluid matters when it comes to getting the most optimized performance. Therefore, ensure that you conduct ample research and make the right choice for cutting fluids.

·         Temperature - Ensure that the cutting fluid reservoir contains ample fluid for dissipating all of the heat.

·         Supply Method - The cutting fluid must be sourced from one reservoir in order to make sure that the fluid is neither polluted or contaminated in any sort of way.

·         Application - The cutting fluid usage should be such that it is directly applied where there is maximum heat generation and also to make certain that no splashing occurs.

Types of Cutting Fluids

There are a number of types of cutting fluids and their respective workings. Some of them are -

Water 

It is the most common way in which dissipation of heat can be performed during the machining process, however, it offers poor lubrication performance. Water can also cause rusting of the material. The use of this substance is seen commonly in tool grinding where it plays the role of a cooling agent.

Soluble Oils (Emulsions)

This is the most widely used cutting fluid in machining operations. Soluble oil cutting fluids are composed of emulsifiers, soluble oils and in some cases additives are included as well.

If you want to learn about other types of cutting fluids or get high-quality products then make sure to get in touch with an expert cutting fluid supplier in Dubai or other locations.