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What are the three different types of cutting fluids?

Category Metalworking Cutting Fluids min

While there are many different types of cutting fluid available from lubricant makers like Fuchs and Klüber, there are three main categories: straight oils, soluble oils and synthetic fluids.

Cutting fluids are a key requirement for machine processes and metalworking. They enhance tool lifespan, improve the surface finish of a workpiece and dissipate excessive heat energy produced in cutting operations. The latter ability allows them to perform their most critical function, as heat dissipation is vital to prevent overheating in machining operations – improving machining efficiency, reducing mechanical downtime and preventing damage.

Here, we take a close look at the three most used cutting oils employed today in a variety of machining processes and other applications in the metalworking industry.

Straight oils

Sometimes referred to as “neat oils”, straight oils are defined as non-emulsifying cutting oils that, as their name suggests, are used without being diluted.

Typically, they are petroleum or vegetable oils, and are well-regarded for their excellent lubricating abilities. Although vegetable oils are more eco-friendly than petroleum-based products because of their inherent biodegradability, they are used less due to their odour.

Straight oil examples include naphthenic oils, vegetable oils and paraffin oil, among others.

Soluble oils

Soluble fluids combine cutting fluids with water to form an emulsion and are employed in a wide range of light metalworking processes, including stamping and machining. Ordered in a concentrated form that includes cutting oil, additives and an emulsifier, soluble fluids are then mixed with the correct ratio of water.

The finished solution offers the lubricating ability of oil and the cooling quality of water, enhanced by additives to improve performance.

Synthetic fluids

Full synthetic or semi-synthetic fluids offer advantages over straight oils and semi-soluble oils for certain applications. They offer an improved level of lubrication over neat oils, and enhanced cooling compared to soluble oils.

While the water in soluble cutting oils is good for cooling, it can put machinery at risk from rust and other corrosive forces. Unlike the other two cutting fluids, synthetic fluid includes special additives that enhance its lubricating and cooling properties, like rust inhibitors and viscosity index improvers that help it remain effective at a wider temperature range – withstanding higher heats and pressures.

The selection of the correct cutting fluid is a core consideration in metalworking applications, as the different types of oils and fluids offer distinct advantages and attributes.

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