Lubricants & Cutting Fluids

Lubricants are primarily used to reduce friction and wear of materials that come into contact with one another; this could be a ball bearing inside a race or a thread being inserted into a nut or tapped hole. Lubrication is also required for many cutting, drilling, tapping and machining applications, usually in metal. Using a lubricant in these processes helps to reduce heat of the workpiece and cutting tool which can result in longer tool life, reduced distortion of the workpiece and a reduction in burrs and workpiece discolouration. Some materials which have a low melting point are easy to cut, but due to heat build-up, they soften and very quickly adhere themselves to the edge of the cutting tool. It is in these situations, that reducing friction and thus heat build-up by using a cutting fluid, is particularly useful in promoting tool life.

Lubrication products can come in many different forms such as high viscosity greases which cling to bearings and components, low viscosity oils which are able to penetrate into small gaps and require little force to allow free movement and even sprays which can apply fine coatings – some being dry to the touch after application. The application for which a lubricant is intended is critical to understand as temperature range, material compatibility, toxicity and weather resistance are just some of the factors to consider. Cutting fluids can be applied by spray or flood system and may require dilution, these systems are common in bandsaw applications for metal cutting. Solid or high viscosity cutting lubricants are applied as wax or by brush which proves popular for tapping, sawing, drilling and broaching.

Protrade stock a wide range of lubricants and cutting fluids to suit most industrial applications.Order your lubricant or cutting fluid before 5 pm and receive it the next working day.

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