Gel-Style Lubricant Takes on Large-Diameter Tube Bending

With new regulations restricting or eliminating chlorinated paraffin as an ingredient in metalforming fluids, the challenge has been to develop products safer for the environment and for worker exposure. Meeting that challenge, Irmco has developed its Gel 986-00D, its first in a new line of tube-bending lubricants free from chlorinated paraffin. The gel has proven successful in bending of pipe as large as 8-in. dia., of Type 304, 409 and 439 stainless steels. Successes also have been realized for bending smaller-diameter aluminized stainless-steel tube as large as 4-in. dia.

Irmco Gel 986-00D contains no mineral oil, pigments or clays, no PTFE, and no chlorine, zinc, boron, phosphorous or sulfur-based EP or AW additives. It can be applied through the mandrel or manually swabbed onto tubes, and demonstrates excellent cling—it won’t drip off of or out of tubes. This characteristic keeps shop floors cleaner and in many cases provides enough lubrication for end-forming/expanding applications.

Technologies: Bending

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