Skill Builders

Ammonia is a clear, colorless gas with a sharp, characteristic odor. It is lighter than air and very soluble in water. Ammonia release from metalworking fluids is an unfortunate consequence that leads to employee dissatisfaction, loss of work time, temporary plant closures and potentially poor worker health. This phenomenon, also called an ammonia “flush” or ammonia “burp,” has been a sporadic but ongoing problem for years. 

Metalworking fluids are subject to attack by micro-organisms. Many people refer to these micro-organisms as “bugs.” While these tiny organisms are not insects, they do “bug” people who have them in their fluids. Microbiology is a specialized field but understanding some basics about these organisms can help to avoid problems. 

The term “water-soluble metalworking fluid” means that the fluid is mixed with water prior to use in the machine tool. However,unlike straight oils, water-soluble products must be monitored for appropriate concentration. What exactly is being monitored or measured? There are several different variables involved. Many people ask, “What is the REAL concentration?” The answer is, “it depends!” 

Water-based hydraulic fluid does not mix with QUINTOLUBRIC® HFD-U fluid, and it is detrimental to have a significant amount of residual water in the QUINTOLUBRIC® HFD-U fluid for an extended period. The recommended conversion procedure is intended to minimize the amount of residual water-based hydraulic fluid present following a conversion to the QUINTOLUBRIC® HFD-U fluid. 

Metalworking processes employ oil-based, solvent-based, and water-based fluids to interact with the various metals. At some point, the issue of protecting these metals from corrosion or staining is important to your customers. Some customers expect the metal removal fluid to provide the in-process and final corrosion protection.

DCR is an acronym for “dump, clean & recharge.” The phrase is applied to single sumps or central systems. It means that the time has come to replace the fluid whether it is a coolant, cleaner, stamping fluid or some other water-soluble industrial fluid. While a DCR sounds simple and straightforward, there are things that have to be communicated to make sure that it is done properly and in a timely fashion. Facts have shown that if a DCR is not conducted properly, valuable time and money will be wasted. 

The warm temperatures of Spring are always a welcomed change; however, along with warmer weather comes higher temperatures,higher humidity and, unfortunately, rust. Every year from May through September the metalworking industry is plagued with rust problems. Problems that are easily preventable with a proactive fluid maintenance approach.

One of the most difficult but important jobs in hydraulic fluid maintenance is taking a proper and representative sample. In general, the best way to do this is to always take the sample at the same place in the hydraulic system. For properties like acidity, viscosity, and moisture it generally doesn’t matter where the sample is taken. However, when it comes to determining the cleanliness of a hydraulic fluid, it makes a big difference at what location the sample is taken. 

WATER FREE HYDRAULIC FLUID TO HFC WATER GLYCOL