Neat cutting oils are generally manufactured using mineral base oils and a selection of performance-enhancing additives. These products are used as supplied and should not be mixed with other fluids.
Normally, these products are used in applications where a “water soluble” type coolant may not be suitable due to a number of reasons, such as poor surface finish, corrosion problems, or reduced tool life to name a few.
Although the water-soluble coolants are normally more cost-effective, they often do not perform to the high standards achieved by neat cutting oils.
Prior to selecting the type of neat cutting oil from a list of possibilities, it is imperative to consider the application and the requirements of the finished product.
Some of these questions would include the viscosity of the product, the desired additive package for the materials being machined, as well as the machining application. These applications may include:
- Gear Hobbing
- Turning
- Drilling
- Grinding
- Tapping
- Thread Rolling
- Honing
- EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining)
- Broaching
Plus, many more additional functions.
Viscosity
A wide range of ISO (International Standards Organization) viscosity grades is available when selecting the correct grade for your application. When selecting the required viscosity grade, a number of important considerations need to be investigated.
Some examples of this are the removal of swarf quickly and effectively, fluid flow rates to the workpiece, application of the fluid (pump, brush, spray etc.), heat dissipation from the machining source, reduced smoke and mist formation, minimal “drag- out” and loss of costly cutting fluid, fines removal and possible negative environmental impact.
Additive package.
The next important consideration would be the selection of performance-improving additives. These additives are included in the various formulations of neat cutting oils to ensure optimal tool life, high-quality surface finish, reduced chatter, appearance and where precision requirements are of the utmost importance.
These chemicals may include EP (Extreme Pressure) enhancers, rust protection, foam resistance, wetting capabilities, oxidation inhibitors and emulsifiers to assist with the cleaning of the final workpiece.
Materials
The third important criterion would be the material being machined. This may vary from hardened materials, stainless steel, and tool steel to non-ferrous materials such as brass, bronze, aluminium, or a variety of other components. The additive package is extremely important when making this decision. An example is that a neat cutting oil with a high Sulphur content may attack yellow metal alloys leaving a dull, stained, or tarnished surface finish. Hard-to-machine materials may require a high content of EP additives in order to achieve the required surface finish or where a gauge fit is required.
Fluid colour
Fluid colour may in some applications be of importance, such as with MQL (Minimum Quantity Lubrication) systems, EDM or spark erosion machines where a “water white” product is desired for ease of visual contact with the workpiece.
Our Technical team is more than willing to discuss your requirements and recommend the correct Neat Cutting Oil for your application.
