proper metalworking fluid and lubricant storage
How Long is Lubricant’s Shelf Life?

When buying lubricants, you have to consider how long they will last. For high-volume users, this is not as much of an issue compared to smaller-volume users. High-volume users’ regularly consumer and reorder lubricants and typically have systems in place to monitor usage and spending. Small-volume users might be spread a drum or two of …

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A process of vertical cnc steel milling with external water coolant streams, splashes and a lot of metal chips. Fast shutter speed for motion freezing.
How to Manage your Metalworking Fluids

Metalworking fluids may not contribute that much to your manufacturing costs, but when fluids begin to fail or not work as intended, the costs could be astronomical. With the increasing costs of more technological fluids and rising disposal costs, managing your fluid and fluid consumption is more important than ever. Managing your fluids and dedicating …

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How to Select the Right Grease

Selecting a grease or lubricant is one of the most crucial decisions you make in regards to any machine. Your selection might make the difference between cost savings, reduced downtime, or significant unexpected costs and failures. For oil lubricants, many OEMs specify what product or what type of product is recommended for each component of …

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Properly Labelled "Used Oil" Drum
Used Oil vs. Waste Oil

The life of your oil-based lubricant does not end when it is time for a change. In fact, after draining a used lubricant, the oil will begin a new lifecycle thanks to advancements in recycling and recovery technology. 800 million of the 1.3 billion gallons of waste oil produced in the United States is recycled …

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pH value scale chart
How to Monitor Alkaline Cleaning Tanks

After machining parts, manufacturers have to clean them. Once clean, the parts may be painted, assembled, or stored with a rust inhibitor coating. That makes cleaning crucial. Poor cleaning could lead to rust, uneven painting or failure in assembly. Many manufacturers do not have the time or budget to rapidly change out (1-day to 1-week …

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Synthetic Coolant
7 Steps for a Successful CNC Restart

After an extended CNC machining production shutdown, it is imperative to get restarted quickly and efficiently. Maintaining your metalworking coolant can be the difference between success and failure. It is key to clean, refill (if necessary), and run according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. These steps will depend on whether you emptied the sump before the …

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diesel exhaust
What is DEF?

DEF Defined & EPA Requirements DEF, also known as Diesel Exhaust Fluid, is an aftertreatment fuel system liquid that is used in diesel engine vehicles to reduce air pollution. Specifically, DEF is designed to reduce the concentration and emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx), by converting nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) molecules into: Harmless …

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cold weather lubricants
Lubricants for Cold Weather

During the winter months and in cold weather regions, operators will face cold starts regularly and must select lubricants that ensure proper performance and protect your machine or engine. We will focus on key features that will differentiate lubricants that excel in cold weather and lubricants that will lead to machine or engine failure. Viscosity …

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Remove Microbes in your CNC sump
How to Get Rid of Microbes in Your Sump

Bacteria or Fungus in the Machine Sump At some point, your metalworking fluid will go bad. Hopefully, in most cases it has ran through its effective life and can safely be removed or recharged with a fresh batch. However, sometimes a fluid’s life will be cut short due to unforeseen circumstances. This may involve machine …

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Sewer pumping machine. Septic truck. Pipe in the drainage pit. Pumping out sewage from a septic tank. Septic tank service
6 Tips for Disposing of Liquid Waste

Getting rid of waste, particularly liquid waste, is not at the top of your to-do list.  Understandably, the waste generated by many of the manufacturing and machining processes gets in the way, and can be annoying and costly of which to dispose. Here are some simple best practices that most all generators should follow.  Become …

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used aerosol cans
How to Dispose of Aerosol Cans

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) believes that the management of hazardous waste aerosol cans can be best implemented through a universal waste approach where handlers operate within a streamlined management system with regulatory oversight. On December 9, 2019, the EPA finalized the rule to add Aerosol Cans to the federal list of Universal Wastes. This …

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testing metalworking fluid formulations
How to Test Metalworking Fluid Samples

You have pondered switching your metalworking fluid. Whether it is a soluble oil, straight oil or synthetic, it is crucial to give your sample a fair test. Many times a superior product may test worse than its inferior equivalent due to a poor testing environment. There are many factors to consider when setting up the …

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