Page 16 - MetalForming June 2015

Lubrinomics
Science and Economics Deliver Top-Shelf Lubricant Management
There’s more than meets the eye in mixing and testing lubricants. Doing your homework will yield the best lubricant in the best concentration for your needs, with cost savings to boot.
BY STEVE LOWERY
Lubrinomics is the science that studies the economic activity and strategies governing the produc- tion, distribution and consumption of metal-stamping lubricants. Lubricants make a major impact on the success or failure of an operation. Determining how to evaluate lubricants during a trial, learning industry best practices, and following and acting upon key met- rics will help ensure overall success and improve your bottom line.
Consistency and repeatability are vital components to the success of stamping operations. Steel must meet certain specifications for thickness, width, hardness and chemical makeup. Tooling designed and built to tight tol- erances delivers accurate, high-quality parts. Hourly quality checks track sev- eral part dimensions. Operators follow detailed setup checklists. Proper pack- aging, shipping labels and routing instructions accompany every part run.
Steve Lowery is vice president and direc- tor of sales for Tower Oil & Technology Co., Chicago, IL; www.toweroil.com.
But what about the lubrication?
So, too, should metalformers choose the correct stamping lubricant, mixed to the proper dilution, for the job. Unfortunately, many all too often for- get this step. The concentration of a water-extendible stamping lubricant remains as critical to the operation as
any other inputs to the process.
Proper Mixing Beats Ballparking
Several methods ensure a consis- tent mixture of stamping fluids. Check the concentration of the lubricants daily—no different than verifying mate- rial thickness or critical part dimen- sions. The mixing process should
employ a mixing system and not be performed manually.
Stampers can choose from a variety of mixing options. The simplest method uses a venturi mixer, where water flow creates suction and pulls the lubricant concentrate into the water flow. The downside to this method: The ratio of water to lubricant can vary slightly due to water pressure, lubricant viscosity and lubricant fluid level in the drum or tote. To adjust the concentration, a plug or orifice must be changed out, so a mixer is best set for one dilution. Should a second dilution be required, use a second mixer. Also, these simple mixers cannot create a strong enough
14 MetalForming/June 2015
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