Image Source: Pixabay

Coolants are essential in preventing overheating during CNC machining. They dissipate heat, lubricate and protect the cutting tool and workpiece.

They also help with rust control and promote long sump life. The key is to keep your coolant clean and at the correct concentration.

Straight oils encourage bacterial growth in the coolant tank, while overly diluted coolants can cause evaporation losses and tramp oil contamination. To avoid this, use a refractometer to monitor your coolant’s concentration levels.

Water-Soluble Coolants

Coolants serve a variety of purposes in the machining process, including cooling and lubricating. When used correctly, they prevent overheating that can damage equipment, workpieces, or even physically harm machinists. The right type of cnc milling coolant also helps to extend tool life.

There are four types of CNC machine coolants, and each is designed for a specific purpose. Choosing the best one for your application will ensure a safe, clean operation and longer tool life.

Water-soluble coolants are a mixture of water and mineral oil. They are generally 50 percent oil before dilution, and they form milky emulsions that provide excellent heat transfer, lubrication, and corrosion protection. However, they are prone to Monday morning stink (foul-smelling microbiological growth of bacteria, fungus, and yeasts) when their concentration isn’t properly maintained.

Semi-synthetic fluids are a more stable mixture of mineral oil, additives, and corrosion inhibitors. They are better able to control foam and mist, and they offer excellent heat reduction, rust control, and long sump life. In addition, many semi-synthetic CNC metalworking fluids are chlorine free, which protects against severe corrosion and provides enhanced machinability. This is especially important when cutting materials that don’t transfer heat well like titanium.

Oil-Soluble Coolants

Coolant does more than just keep a workpiece and tooling from getting hot, it improves part quality by improving the lubricity of the cutting zone. It also clears chips, flushes debris and prevents rusting or oxidation of the workpiece. It is important to choose the right fluid and the proper delivery method to get the most benefit.

There are many different types of coolant on the market including straight oils, solubles and semi-synthetics. Straight Oils (mineral and petroleum based) have good cooling capabilities but do not provide as much lubrication. They can however be supplemented with EP additives like chlorine, phosphorus and sulfur to improve lubricity. Soluble Coolants are water-miscible and can be used for a wide range of ferrous and nonferrous metals. They are easy to use, have good wetting properties and low odor. They can, however, be difficult to maintain and tend to have a short sump life.

Semi-Synthetic Coolants have the best overall performance of all the coolants for CNC machines. They have a blend of mineral oil, corrosion inhibitors and chemical compounds that can be mixed with water to create a stable cutting fluid. They are easier to maintain than solubles, have improved surface finish and longer sump life. They can be adjusted for lubricity, heat removal and rust control by changing the concentration percentage of the solution.

Air-Soluble Coolants

Unlike oil-soluble coolants, these use air to clear chips and lubricate the workpiece. They don’t offer the same cooling capacity as water-based coolants, but they do provide rust prevention and are easy to clean up. They can be used for many different metalworking applications, including surface grinding and milling.

There are several types of these CNC coolants, which are a mix of mineral oils and chemical compounds. The most common are soluble oils, which are diluted with water to form a milky emulsion. These are cheaper than other options, but they can clog machine tools and produce a foul odor when the coolant sump becomes contaminated with bacteria, fungi, and yeasts.

Another option is semi-synthetic fluid, which is a mixture of mineral oils and chemical compounds. These are less prone to odor than soluble oils, but they still require frequent cleaning of the machine tool and the workpiece. Another type of CNC coolant is straight oil, which is not water-miscible and contains lubricants such as vegetable oils and esters. These are a little more expensive than soluble oils, but they can be easier to maintain and have better cooling capacities. In addition to selecting the right type of coolant for a specific machining operation, it is essential that shops monitor their coolant concentration levels regularly. A refractometer is an excellent tool for achieving this goal.

Synthetics

The cleanest of all metalworking fluids, synthetic coolants do not contain petroleum-based oil. Instead, they consist of rust inhibitors and chemical lubricants that break down in water. This allows them to provide superior cooling capacity, corrosion prevention and easy maintenance. According to Benz, these coolants are best used for high-heat and heavy-duty machining processes.

In addition, they also work well on exotic materials and are less prone to foaming than other coolants. However, they are more expensive than other types of coolants and must be treated carefully to extend their lifespan. In fact, if the concentration levels of your machine’s coolant drop below the manufacturer’s recommended level, it can result in bacterial growth, which could lead to poor machine performance and even damage your workpiece.

The choice of which type of metalworking fluid to use on your cnc machine is ultimately up to you, but be sure to consider the specific needs of your machining process and budget constraints when making a decision. Regular maintenance and adherence to proper safety protocols will help you maximize the benefits of your machining tool, cutter and CNC machine.