SECTOR FOCUS: METALWORKING FLUIDS
Metalworking Fluids: The State of the Art
Stephen D Birch BSc Technical Manager MacDermid Enthone, Lubricants Product Group Member of the UKLA Metalworking Fluid Product Stewardship Group (MWFPSG)
It’s an interesting time for the UK metalworking fluid formulator, working to new health & safety regulations and contemplating the prospects of the UK’s exit from the EU.
Against this backdrop there are changes in the lubricants market from consolidation of suppliers and blenders, to the challenges of meeting end-user expectations.
Modern Base Stocks The base stocks used in today’s metalworking fluids (MWFs) have changed significantly over the years. For instance, the neat oil market has seen increased use of semi-synthetic and synthetic base stocks, such as hydrocracked oils and polyalphaolefins. The higher costs of these modern lubricants are outweighed by their performance benefits, with fluids lasting several years with minimal maintenance.
Recent regulatory changes to the aspiration hazard classification has affected all neat mineral oil and hydrocarbon MWFs with viscosities at 40°C below 20.5 cSt. Consequently, ester-based fluids are of growing interest, from vegetable oils to synthetic esters. Whilst offering a safer alternative in lower viscosity applications and improved tool life, the end-users must consider seal and elastomer compatibility with their equipment.
10 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.146 AUGUST 2018
Reducing Environmental Impact The supply of lubricant products using recycled or regenerated base oils is not new. This has been used by many end-users as a way of decreasing costs and meeting environmental policy. Whilst there are pressures to consider using more recycled oils for conserving non-renewable resources, their intermittent supply and variable nature can present difficulties for the formulator and quality control process.
Drive to go Chlorine-free Over the years there has been a noticeable market decline in chlorinated lubricants due to changes in Health and Safety (H&S) labelling and the increased costs of disposing of chlorinated wastes. However, there are still original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who prefer chlorinated lubricants because of their performance benefits in certain arduous applications. Most of the products being marketed are based on long chained chlorinated paraffins which are not classified as environmentally hazardous. However, due to the expectation of escalating disposal costs, many end-users have switched to alternative chlorine-free technologies based on sulfur and phosphorus extreme pressure additives, though many chlorine-free additives have also been classified as environmentally hazardous due to more severe chemical classifications.
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