Frequently Asked Questions

Metal Cutting Fluids: How They Work
Metal cuttng fluids have two basic functions: (1) as coolants, and (2) as lubricants. They cool the tool to reduce abrasive wear and loss of hardness, and they cool the work to prevent distortion and dimensional inaccuracies. They lubricate the chip-tool interface to reduce frictional heat, tool wear, and power consumption and to improve surface finish. They prevent welding of metal to the tool point, causing rough surfaces on the work piece by the repeated sloughing off of the built up edge. The cutting fluids also serve to flush away chips and debris from the work and to protect machined surfaces from rusting.

Choosing the Right Cutting Fluid
The selection of the most appropriate cutting fluid is complicated and should consider many factors. The motion of the chip over the tool face is essentially that of any surface moving over another at high velocity under high pressure.The type of metal and cutting conditions determine the type of lubricant best suited to reducing friction. In the machining operation, many combinations of tools and workpieces and operating conditions may exist, resulting in many lubrication and lubricant requirements.