What are the basic principles of oil-based cutting fluids?

发布时间：2022年08月08日 10:18

Oil-based cutting fluids are typically formulated using highly refined mineral oils and synthetic base oils, combined with a scientifically engineered blend of extreme-pressure additives, rust-inhibiting antioxidants, anti-fog agents, and other components. They can be adapted to various metalworking processes. However, some low-quality products can lead to... Symptoms such as skin inflammation and skin cancer can occur because, during the use of cutting fluids, the skin becomes contaminated by these fluids, leading to clogged skin pores. If we fail to clean our skin for an extended period, the clogged pores may become infected and pus-filled, as our skin is unable to breathe properly. Moreover, a range of skin diseases can be triggered by processed metals adhering to the skin. However, we shouldn't cast a shadow of suspicion over cutting fluids altogether. As long as cutting fluids are used appropriately, there won't be any major issues. When purchasing cutting fluids, we should avoid being tempted by low prices. Instead, we should opt for cutting fluids that have low or no odor, low corrosivity, and high quality. Next, let's take a closer look at the basic knowledge about oil-based cutting fluids:

Oil-based cutting fluid

1. Introduction to Oil-Based Cutting Fluids:

Oil-based cutting fluid is a pure oil-based cutting fluid that contains neither chlorine nor heavy metals.

2. Characteristics of oily cutting fluids:

(1) Low odor, light color, and low oil mist characteristics significantly improve the operator’s working environment.

(2) Even under high pressure and high flow rates, it maintains low oil mist and low foam characteristics, thereby improving productivity.

(3: Increase tool life, improve surface finish, and reduce costs.)

3. Applications of oily cutting fluids:

A well-formulated additive suitable for various metals can provide excellent support for the integration of process fluids.

4. Oil-based cutting fluids have the following functions:

(1) Cooling: During the machining process, cooling can promptly and rapidly reduce the temperature in the cutting zone—thus mitigating the temperature rise typically caused by friction—and also influence cutting efficiency, cutting quality, and tool life.

(2) Lubrication: This can reduce friction between the tool and the workpiece. The lubricant penetrates between the tool, the workpiece, and the chips, reducing friction and adhesion, lowering cutting resistance, ensuring cutting quality, and extending tool life.

(3) Cleaning function: It can flush away chips or abrasive particles from the machining area between the tool and the workpiece, preventing them from adhering to each other as well as to the workpiece, the tool, and the machine tool itself.

(4) Rust-preventive function: The product should possess a certain level of rust resistance to prevent workpieces and machine tools from rusting. If the rust-preventive performance is improved, it can also partially replace the need for rust prevention between processing steps.

The four performance characteristics—cooling, lubrication, cleaning, and rust prevention—mentioned above are not entirely isolated from one another. They share some commonalities as well as conflicting aspects. For example, cutting oils exhibit excellent lubrication and rust-prevention properties but relatively poor cooling and cleaning performance; on the other hand, aqueous solutions have good cooling and cleaning capabilities but inferior lubrication and rust-prevention performance. Therefore, when selecting a cutting fluid, it is essential to weigh the advantages and disadvantages carefully. Practice has shown that using appropriate cutting fluids can reduce cutting temperatures by 60 to 150℃, decrease surface roughness by 1 to 2 grades, lower cutting forces by 15% to 30%, and double the service life of both cutting tools and grinding wheels. Moreover, these fluids effectively flush away chips and debris from the cutting zone, thereby enhancing both production efficiency and product quality. As a result, they have found widespread application in mechanical machining.

Selection of Cutting Fluids, Classification of Oil-Based Cutting Fluids

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