How to Choose Eco-Friendly Metalworking Fluids for Modern Manufacturing

Sustainability is becoming a bigger concern in every type of manufacturing business. Thanks to the rising concern, government regulations and climate change, eco-friendliness is now a primary focus in the manufacturing landscape. Therefore, when it comes to various machine operations, choosing an eco-friendly fluid is very important now. Metal working fluids play a significant role in machining processes, providing lubrication, cooling, and corrosion protection. Traditional fluids often contain harmful chemicals, potentially causing harm to both people and the environment. Thus, in this blog, we will share how and why one should choose eco-friendly metal working fluid for manufacturing.

What are Metal Working Fluids?

Also known as cutting fluids, they are used in various machining operations such as turning, milling, drilling, and grinding. Moreover, they also help in reducing friction, dissipating heat, and removing metal chips from the work piece. Furthermore, there are also different types of metal working fluids depending on composition such as:

• Straight Oils: These fluids are made out of non-emulsifiable oils that are used in heavy-duty machining operations. They are favored for their excellent lubrication properties but the fluid comes with a slight inconvenience. Due to their composition, it is hard to clean or dispose of them.
• Soluble Oils: On the other hand, these fluids are emulsive in nature when mixed with water. They are good, especially for providing excellent cooling, as well as having great lubrication properties. However, due to the involvement of water, the fluid is prone to bacterial growth.
• Synthetic Fluids: These are also water-based fluids but they do not contain any oil. Which makes them less prone to bacterial growth while providing good lubrication in machining operations.
• Semi-Synthetic Fluids: These are the type of metal working fluids that combines the properties of both soluble oils and synthetic fluids. Thus, they offer best of the both worlds, i.e., lubrication and cooling.

What are the Harms of Using Traditional Metal Working Fluids?

Traditional fluids usually contain petroleum-based oils as well as chlorinated compounds, and other additives. As a result, such chemicals produce enough toxic effects which in turn harms the environment. For example, disposing of such fluids can cause contamination of both soil and water. This leads to the spread of toxic chemicals to nearby ecosystems and settlements as well. Due to poisoning of water and soil loss of animal habitats can occur. It also affects the people nearby who depend on water for living. Furthermore, the chemicals are also hazardous to factory workers. Lastly, these petroleum-based chemical also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.

What are the Benefits of Eco-Friendly Metal Working Fluids?

To start with, they play a significant part in reducing overall negative environmental impact by being biodegradable. Thus, using renewable fluids reduces water and soil contamination. Furthermore, such fluids are also instrumental in reducing greenhouse emissions and promoting sustainable manufacturing practices. Moreover, they also reduce the risk of exposure of employees to toxic chemicals. 

While they are slightly higher priced than traditional fluids, eco-friendly fluids save a lot of cost in the long run by reducing disposal costs. As well as, a reduction in medical hazard-related expenses. Not to mention, these fluids are also known for their longevity, saving you from frequent replacements. Last but not least, manufacturers by using them will be complying with environmental regulations and avoid potential fines or penalties.

How to Identify Environmental-Friendly Metal Working Fluids?

A manufacturer when opts for eco-friendly fluids for metal working, they should look into the product’s biodegradability. This means that the fluid must break down naturally without causing any harm to nature. Thus, look for fluids that meet international biodegradability standards. Moreover, if the fluids contain straight or semi-synthetic oils, make sure they are derived from vegetable oils or synthetic esters. Manufacturers can reduce their dependency on petroleum-based products and lower their carbon footprint.

On the other hand, make sure that eco-friendly fluids have lower toxic chemicals. Such fluids can reduce the life risk of their workers as well as reduce emergency expenses. They should also avoid metal working fluids that contain chlorinated compounds, sulfur, and other harmful additives. Furthermore, make sure to look for the recyclability of the fluids. Remember, to reduce wastage and carbon footprint, only go for fluids that can be reused for the machining process.

Performance Enhancement of Eco-Friendly Metal Working Fluids

Apart from encouraging more eco-friendly practices and reduce burden on nature, these fluids also enhance operability of machines. For example, eco-friendly fluids provide superior lubrication which reduces friction as well as wear on cutting tools and workpieces. As mentioned before, these fluids also offer great cooling, helping dissipating heat more efficiently. Such properties also increases the lifespan of tools, leading to cost savings.

 Moreover, they are also good for hygiene as the fluids are less prone to bacterial growth. Manufacturers who opt for eco-friendly metal working fluid, see a reduction in foul odour and fluid degradation. Additionally, they are compatible with a wide range of materials, including metal and alloys. This property makes such eco-friendly fluids versatile for a variety of machine applications. More importantly, they are also corrosion-resistant, protecting various machine parts from rust and other corrosive agents.

Conclusion

In order to ensure sustainable manufacturing practices, eco-friendly metal working fluids are the only choice. These fluids check almost all the boxes to be environmentally friendly substances. They are biodegradable, use renewable resources, recyclable and most importantly, they are low toxic, causing no harm. On the other hand, these fluids also do not compromise performance while being sustainable. They often provide superior performance in comparison to traditional fluids for metal working.

 For example, eco-friendly metal working fluids reduce friction in machine parts significantly. Reducing wear and increasing the lifespan of the machines. Furthermore, these fluids also offer superior cooling by dissipating heat efficiently. They reduce costs significantly over time by saving on maintenance costs on machines. They help in reducing medical expenses by being low toxic and saving workers from harm. Therefore, at this point, it is pretty obvious why eco-friendly metal working fluids should be the choice for modern manufacturing.