Advantages Using Micro-Lubrication on CNC Routers

CNC routers are commonly used for designing and manufacturing products. The ability to cut, drill or mill aluminum, metal & plastic components with precision is why CNC routers are widely used by manufacturers worldwide.

These CNC machines require lubrication systems during the machining process, which keeps the tool and workpiece cool.

Common CNC Router Lubrication Methods

The 2 primary methods are flood cooling and micro-lubrication. The most common, but least effective method is flood cooling. This method floods the tool and workpiece using gallons of toxic chemicals mixed with water. It’s very messy and requires extensive cleanup of tools, work areas and soaked cutting chips.

The 2nd method, which is more cost effective and produces higher quality results is known as Micro-Lubrication… or minimum quantity lubrication.

CNC Manufacturers Trust MagLube MQL Systems on Their CNC Machines

Premium quality CNC router manufacturers are integrating MagLube’s MQL systems into their machine builds. CAMaster and Laguna Tools both use MagLube’s 21st century micro-lubrication as their preferred lubrication system.

MagLube offers a micro-lubrication system for CNC routers that substantially reduces the amount of lubricant needed when compared to the less efficient flood cooling method. When we say substantially… that is not an understatement. Operators using our systems can expect to use ONLY 2 – 4 oz. of lubricant during an 8-hour shift… compared to gallons of toxic coolants needed if flood cooling.

Additional Advantages of Using MQL Systems on These Machines

The ability to save on lubricants alone is important. But several other advantages make converting to MagLube a no brainer.

Because of the properties of our organic – biodegradable lubricants, you’ll experience superior surface finishes. Our systems and lubricants substantially reduce the friction during machining. By reducing the friction, we eliminate the heat caused during the process. This produces higher quality finished components.

Another advantage of using MagLube MQL is time savings. Time is money and unlike the extensive cleanup needed when flood cooling, MagLube’s systems require virtually no post-production cleanup, plus the cutting chips produced are dry, making it quick and easy to simply vacuum up and then recycle for even more revenue.

Specifics of Using MagLube’s Systems for Micro-Lubrication

• The MagLube system requires a designated air-line (80-120 psi) and can be activated by the operator with a manual slide valve or automatically with a 24V or 120V signal.
• When using the MagLube system, operators can expect to use between 2-4 ounces of lubricant in an 8-hour shift of production machining and will experience superior surface finishes on machined parts.
• Each system sold carries a one-year manufacturer’s warranty on all components.
• A toggle switch is installed on the right side of the applicator to shut off the pump and allow only air out of the nozzle for materials not requiring a lubricant.
• The LD-300L lubricant is a low viscosity lubricant designed for aluminum and other non-ferrous metals. It has excellent lubrication properties is non-toxic & biodegradable. The LD-300L is non-staining, has a low burn off temperature and evaporates like an alcohol.
• As opposed to traditional “coolant systems” the MagLube system is a cleaner, safer, more efficient and cost-effective way of lubricating your cutting tools.

MagLube’s One-Year Warranty on All MQL System Components

As mentioned in the points above, each system sold carries a one-year manufacturer’s warranty on all components and used in conjunction with our LD-300L lubricant, your CNC router will be producing the highest quality products you’ve ever produced.

Contact us today to discuss your machines and how we can help improve your processes. Don’t forget… our MagLube MQL systems also work perfectly on CNC milling, metal stamping, band saws, roll formers and any other machine needing lubrication.

Contact MagLube today

The Best CNC Milling Machine Lubricant

Having the most effective lubrication system on a CNC milling machine is critically important to maximizing efficiency, managing costs and producing the highest quality finished products. The vast majority of manufacturers out there are still using MWFs (metalworking fluids) and flood cooling to lubricate their milling process, which is quite surprising.

Why is this surprising you may be thinking? Well, since the introduction of MQL (minimum quantity lubrication) systems and lubricants, a small percentage of manufacturing engineers and operation managers have transitioned from toxic MWFs to MQL, also known as micro-lubrication. They have seen substantial improvements in virtually every measurable metric across the board when it comes to how their CNC milling lubricant process performs.

 

Why metalworking fluids (MWF) present long term health risks, and how to transition away from them

Machine operators around the world are exposed to toxic metalworking fluids on a day to day basis. The flooding and misting systems used require direct contact but also produce a mist in the workplace that's inhaled by these workers, exposing them to a multitude of different health risks.

OSHA has strict permissable exposure limits (PEL) for the mist created by metalworking fluids (MWF). But even with these limits in place, it still requires that each business adhere to these guidelines and also requires each worker to wear protective devices to prevent adverse health effects. Machine shops must use expensive mist collection devices to keep the air quality within the permissable limits, adding costs to an already cost intensive process.

In a perfect world, these precautions would protect these workers for the most part, but never with 100% effectiveness. Plus, we don't live in a perfect world so without constant monitoring of the mist collection devices and aherence by the workers to always wear their protection... the reality is, workers are constantly at risks of short and long term health issues.

There is a better way! It's called micro-lubrication or minimum quantity lubrication (MQL). It removes virtually all health risks due to MWF mist, removes the cost of mist collection devices, removes the cost and time of post production cleanup and is considered by those who have transistioned to MQL to be a more effective method of lubrication.

To get more details, visit MagLube's latest blog post!

Custom MQL Systems by Maglube Interview

Maglube is a global leader in the industrial lubrication industry. But there products
are not the typical petroleum based oil and their systems are highly customized and
retro-fitted for each metal working machine.

Industrial manufacturing has moved towards a more eco-friendly approach in their
manufacturing process, and Maglube's micor lubricants and MQL systems are on the
cutting edge of what is happening in this space in 2019.

A 21st century solution for industrial lubrication for you manufacturing facility.

In this video, we interview Vice President of Maglube to get the low down on how
they provide this ecologically friendly solution in manufacturing.

Read the blog post on their website about this interview by visiting:
https://www.maglube.com/industrial-lubricants/how-maglube-mql-systems-are-custom-designed-for-every-customer/

Connect with Maglube on Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/maglube/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfjFfBp7-UZ9rwmH7xpH2jg
https://instagram.com/_MagLube_
https://www.linkedin.com/company/manufacturers-alliance-group-inc-/

MagLube's Custom Lubricants For Every Customer

Minimum quantity lubrication is the 21st century solution to industrial manufacturing. Having biodegradable options for lubricating your machining process can transform your facility from an outdated, eco-unfriendly plant, to a green - eco-friendly business.

Maglube MQL is a custom solution to maximize every machine in your facility.

Check out more info about Maglube's custom MQL systems

Custom MQL Systems

What Are Micro Lubricants?

Maglube offers biodegrable industrial lubricants that are among the best in the world. We have 4 types that work on virutally every machining process there is in commercial manufacturing.

See our recent post describing these lubricants and read our most recent blog post on our site.


Industrial Lubricants Manufacturer

The Quality of Metal Working Is Assisted by Proper Industrial Lubrication

The machining of metals on lathes and other devices puts the metals and the cutting tools to a fair amount of stress and strain that includes a fair amount of heat produced by the abrading, cutting or other action. This can cause distortion in the metal being machined and decreases the life of the cutting tool. Cutting fluids can give the necessary lubrication that can reduce heat, achieve a better-finished metal product and extend the life of the tool.

2 Common Industrial Lubricant Methods

There are 2 common types of metalworking lubrication; flood cooling and micro-lubrication. Maglube specializes in micro-lubrication. It’s really the 21st century, modern solution to industrial lubrication for metalworking.

Machining centers can turn metal, extrude it and perform many other operations, each of which produces its own degree of stress on the tools, the metal product being worked on and the lubricant itself. The type of metal that is being worked on can also lead to a variation in the degree of stresses. Extrusion of metals causes a lot of stress, with turning on machines being easier on the various components of the operation. Most lubricants used in metalworking are made of base oils with a number of different additives, that can add different properties to the cutting fluids. Metalworking fluids, unlike standard lubricants, can have a mixture of oil and water. The oil acts as the lubricant, while the water assists in cooling. 

Why Maglube Lubricants Extend Machine and Tool Life

Some additives can have surface reactions with the material that is being worked on, and this may not be intended. Some that have additives like active sulfur can lead to the staining of the finished metal product and lead to its rejection. Other additives help the metalworking process by helping in the removal of the machined material, and this can help in reducing any damage to the machining tool. Where lubricants require to have a solution that includes water and oil, it is important that the fluid used, be able to remain emulsified. High percentages of water can promote micro-organism growth as well as bacteria, and these fluids used for metalworking lubrication have preservatives that prevent this form of contamination.

Preservatives and additives aren’t needed with Maglube lubricants. Our eco-friendly lubricants are formulated with organic oils which make them biodegradable. Also, the composition of the lubricants causes them to reduce friction many times better than traditional oil/water mixtures.

Primary Functions of Lubricants when Metalworking

The primary function of lubricants used in metalworking is to reduce friction, by making surfaces slippery. These lubricants are then also able to reduce temperatures that increase during operations and will minimize the corrosion of the metal surfaces. They can also help to keep out any contaminants that can enter the system. Lubricants need to have the properties that can help to meet the operating needs. You can use different chemicals to ensure that a machine functions just as efficiently at very high temperatures. You can have a class of lubricants that protect the surfaces being machined, even when they are subjected to high pressure. Machine working of metals does cause the production of metal particles that are required to be removed from the original product for shaping it to the required configuration. These extra metal particles need to be efficiently removed from between the product being worked on and the cutting or forming tools. Certain additives attract this extraneous material, suspend them in the lubricant and then trap them in filters or other types of separators.

Industrial lubrication is an important part of metalworking and requires as much attention as other technical specifications that will help in producing the required product. 

Maglube Designs Custom MQL Systems for Each Customer

Maglube has been custom designing MQL systems for their customers for over 2 decades. While other competitors use cookie cutter solutions that don't work so well with every application... Maglube takes pride in making sure every machine for every customer is working with maximum efficiency.

When used with Maglube's organically formulated lubricants, these micro lubrication systems are the top performing systems throughout the USA.

To contact Maglube to speak with a representative about setting up your facility with an efficient Maglube system, call us today. (800) 441-2023

 

Listen to this interview how Maglube custom designs every system for their customers.
 

Reasons to Convert from Flood Coolants to Micro Lubrication Systems

For decades, industrial manufacturers have used flood coolants to help lubricate machines and tools while machining and metal working. The heat produced during the metal on metal cutting process can reach temperatures high enough to degrade or even destroy the cutting piece and the tools used during that machining process. So, using flood coolants to reduce this heat has been the most common method used for some time. While it does provide some heat reduction by quenching, it has many downsides.

A less common method of industrial lubrication that provides an alternative to the ecologically unfriendly coolant flooding method is known as micro lubrication… or minimum quantity lubrication. This method uses a fraction of the lubricant needed in flood cooling. Additionally, it provides far superior friction reducing results. It’s also extremely effective in eliminating much of the friction, which is what causes the heat in the first place.

While minimum quantity lubrication, or MQL is not nearly as common, it is gaining traction and becoming more popular throughout the industrial manufacturing community, as more facilities are testing it and often converting over to micro lubrication systems and lubricants.

Invest In Employees and Tools

When hiring a new employee, they are likely trained on workplace safety, best practices in tool operation, as well as how to actually use the machine they'll be working on. While this all seems like a through introduction into the workplace, it lacks one key component - care and maintenance training. 

The proper maintenance and care of industrial tools is imperative to their productivity. Tools that aren't well maintained will break down, perform inefficiently and could lead to workplace accidents. This is why it’s important to teach new employees about the key role they play in caring for the machines they use day in, day out. 

Learning by doing is one of the most effective forms of education, which is why it's important to engross new hires into the how - and why - of maintenance from the start. If a worker learns a procedure without understanding why it needs to be done, they can come to believe it’s a meaningless formality. This leaves workers tempted to skip important parts of lubrication systems care, or perform them carelessly.

Invest in your employees, as well as your equipment, and productivity will reap the rewards. The resulting benefits will include high-performing machines, conscientious employees, and a smoothly functioning workplace.

What's the Best Lubricant for Your Machine?

As a machine operator, you know one of the most important steps in ensuring your machines run properly and perform at their best is with proper lubrication. Without quality industrial lubrication you can expect damaged and/or broken equipment, productivity delays, and a messy work environment, as well as the possibility of workplace accidents. 

Understanding how the right lubricant works with your machine is a sure way to minimize risks on the job. Many of the lubricants used in an industrial setting are made from either mineral or synthetic oil.  It’s important to understand what your lubricants are made of as well as the different affects that they can have on machinery.

Mineral Oil Lubricants
 Mineral oil comes from crude oil, with the quality depending on the refining process. There is a grading scale for oil and different applications require different oil quality. Mineral oil is mainly made up of four different types of molecules – paraffin, branched paraffin, naphthene, and aromatic. Mineral oil is generally used in engine oils, industrial lubricants, and processing oils, making it perfect for industrial applications. 

Synthetic Oil Lubrications
Synthetic oils are man-made fluids that have identical straight chained structures. One of the benefits of synthetic oil is that the molecular size and weight are constant, while mineral oils vary greatly, allowing their properties to be much more predictable. Unlike natural mineral lubricants, synthetic oils are much harsher on the environment as they cost more to make and are both toxic and difficult to dispose of.

At MagLube, our industrial lubrication systems are crafted with biodegradable components making it effective and harmless to you and the environment. For higher efficiency, longer life, better reliability, and less money spent on maintenance of your tools, update your industrial lubrication systems to MagLube MQL systems.

Why is Lubricant so Important?

Taking proper care of your metalworking tools is essential to their performance and longevity. Just as your car needs the oil changed and the tires need rotating, the lubrication system for your tools needs checking and changing consistently. 

Keeping metalworking tools in prime condition is essential to the success of your metal shop, with the first step to consistent performance and longevity being dependable lubrication.  

Without proper lubrication, milling machines, band saws, and other cutting equipment are unable to perform to their full potential. The right industrial lubricant can extend the life of your cutting tools and ensure that they produce accurately and consistently.

Increased Friction - Decreasing friction is among the key benefits of our lubrication. Increased friction can lead to damaged core components, which dramatically shortens their usefulness and overall life spans.

Increased Heat - The more friction, the more heat – and the more heat produced means the greater the chance of your equipment overheating.  Overheated machinery can lead to a number of problems, including broken components, broken machinery, and injured operators. 

Keeping your tools and equipment lubricated is one of the best things you can do for them. A good lubricant allows each of a tool’s core components to carry out its respective jobs in a smooth and efficient manner.  An MQL system, especially MagLube’s environmentally-friendly solution, is the reliable lubrication system you need. To learn more about our MQL products, visit our website at MagLube.com.

What Not to Do When Operating a Band Saw

A band saw can be very dangerous if not used properly. As with any cutting machinery, you want to be sure to be properly trained before operating one - both for your own personal safety and that of those nearby. 

Whether you’re employed as a band saw operator or you use one as a hobby at home, it’s imperative to read the owner’s manual or receive training first-hand from someone who has to ensure you’re using the tool as it’s meant to be used. Be 100% sure you understand how to operate the band saw before making your first cut. 

In our previous blog, “Safety First: Band Saw Operator Tips” we discussed tips on personal safety when operating a band saw, as well as safety tips for the machine, such as proper band saw lubricant tips. There are also important rules to know and follow for what should not be done with a band saw while operating it. 

For the seasoned professionals, surely you know and adhere to these guidelines. As for those new to operating a band saw, you’ll want to read and heed this advice. 

- Never use excessive force when pushing the wood past the blade.
- Do not stop a band saw by thrusting stock against the cutting edge or the side of a blade immediately after the power has been shut off.
- Do not back the stock away from the blade while the saw is in motion, if the work piece binds, or pinches on the blade.
-Never leave a saw running unattended. Turn off the power and make sure the machine has stopped completely before leaving the area.

Safety first when it comes to operating heavy machinery, especially cutting tools. Training, taking precautions and staying alert are key to your protection.